Will tilting a tree help wounds heal?

[Cruiser]

Will tilting a tree so that more branches are positioned above a wound help it to heal?

Does gravity have an influence? Or is the ability to heal more impacted by a wounds positioning between roots and branches?

For example.. You trunk chop something and the nearest branches are a little below the cut… if you tilted the tree upside down so the cut was the lowest part of the tree would it heal?

 

[sorce]

Positioning the branches above the wound into more light will help.

Sorce

 

[Cruiser]

Positioning the branches above the wound into more light will help.

Sorce

If the branches are already getting the most sun possible, does their positioning relative to the wound matter?

For context… a vine maple with a 3” wide trunk cut.

 

[penumbra]

I wouldn't think so. In fact, a lot of direct sun on the cut may cause it to dry faster and split or heal slower. I hope that large cut is well sealed.
This is just guess work for me.

Positioning the branches above the wound into more light will help.

If the branches are already getting the most sun possible, does their positioning relative to the wound matter?

For context… a vine maple with a 3” wide trunk cut.

 

[DavidBoren]

I believe that increasing vascular flow demand on the oppopsite side of the wound, in relation to the roots, should speed up the healing process.

How would it not? Promoting the flow of water and nutrients over/past/through the wound should all but guarantee new cell development. I have definitely been wrong before, though.

 

[Cruiser]

Here is the tree that prompted the question.

Collected Acer circinatum

Mine is the end of a branch that has a thread graft (running down and to the right in the pic) from a couple of years ago. I cut the end you see this spring so that carbs and auxin from the thread (which has foliage) can supply the cambium ring that is growing. Basically, these things flow...

www.bonsainut.com

I sealed the wound with putty. Perhaps something over it would help further..

There are 3 branches positioned around the cut. 1 large above it and 2 somewhat level or inferior to the cut. My idea was to possibly tilt the tree to get all 3 branches “above” the cut if it would help callous the wound quicker.

 

[penumbra]

The picture helps. If it were mine I would just keep it as it is, healthy and growing. I honestly don't think the orientation makes much difference because your tree looks healthy enough in the picts and has a lot of top growth. Conversely, I don't think tilting the pot would hurt at all. I guess its your call.
It may be several years away but I think it has a bright future.

 

[Paradox]

Will tilting a tree so that more branches are positioned above a wound help it to heal?

Does gravity have an influence? Or is the ability to heal more impacted by a wounds positioning between roots and branches?

For example.. You trunk chop something and the nearest branches are a little below the cut… if you tilted the tree upside down so the cut was the lowest part of the tree would it heal?

No, growth above the cut promotes healing. Having branches below does not help.

 

[Cruiser]

No, growth above the cut promotes healing. Having branches below does not help.

So by ‘growth above’, do you mean on the other side of a wound relative to the roots or above in the physical sense?
If you flipped a trunk-chopped tree over onto its head, all the growth would physically be below the cut but I think it would still heal in this case.

I am genuinely curious to know what effect gravity has on the flow of nutrients through a tree and how it might impact healing a wound… hope this is making sense.

 

[Paradox]

So by ‘growth above’, do you mean on the other side of a wound relative to the roots or above in the physical sense?
If you flipped a trunk-chopped tree over onto its head, all the growth would physically be below the cut but I think it would still heal in this case.

I am genuinely curious to know what effect gravity has on the flow of nutrients through a tree and how it might impact healing a wound… hope this is making sense.

Yes I mean that the roots are below the cut on the trunk and a branch is above the cut on the trunk.

 

[DavidBoren]

I do not know if plants, or your plant in particular, instinctually increase flow in the opposite direction of gravity.

If the branches vascular structure recieves flow before said flow reaches the wound, I do not see how any change of position is possibly going to matter.

 

[0soyoung]

Leaves release water by evaporation which in turn 'sucks' water from the roots. IOW, water and minerals flow toward the leaves, regardless of whether this direction is up or down.

Leaves produce carbohydrates that are pushed into the phloem (inner bark) tubes, creating a phloem pressure that pushes the sap away from the leaves. The force of gravity may add to this if the stem is above horizontal. Conversely a stem below horizontal would oppose the phloem pressure produced by the leaves. Nevertheless, the direction of flow in the inner bark is away from the foliage, regardless of whether this direction is up or down.

 

[Cruiser]

Leaves release water by evaporation which in turn 'sucks' water from the roots. IOW, water and minerals flow toward the leaves, regardless of whether this direction is up or down.

Leaves produce carbohydrates that are pushed into the phloem (inner bark) tubes, creating a phloem pressure that pushes the sap away from the leaves. The force of gravity may add to this if the stem is above horizontal. Conversely a stem below horizontal would oppose the phloem pressure produced by the leaves. Nevertheless, the direction of flow in the inner bark is away from the foliage, regardless of whether this direction is up or down.

Thanks. I wondered if gravity would aid and/or inhibit flow in some way relevant to us.

My hope was that by tilting a tree and using gravity, one could get water and nutrients to redistribute or ‘pool’ in a particular place and speed growth/callous formation. Wishful thinking on my part, I know; but it got the theoretical wheels turning.