What do you think about this tree?

[jdircksen]

Two of my neighbors share this silver maple that has 7 trunks. Each trunk is 15" diameter. Is this one tree or 7 trees? And I'm curious how this tree came about---perhaps it was cut down 50 years ago and then 7 sprouts grew out of the stump?


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[bigschuss]

Two of my neighbors share this silver maple that has 7 trunks. Each trunk is 15" diameter. Is this one tree or 7 trees? And I'm curious how this tree came about---perhaps it was cut down 50 years ago and then 7 sprouts grew out of the stump?

Yes, it is called coppicing. The original tree may have been cut and as you said the stump then sprouted. It could have been cause by beaver damage, flooding, fire, etc. Going back to my forestry class in college, if you were conducting a count or survey of trees on a chunk of land I am 99% sure that those trees counts as 7 different trees. If the branch points (or forks) were to occur above 4.5' from the ground it would count as a single tree.

[TapTapTap]

Two of my neighbors share this silver maple that has 7 trunks. Each trunk is 15" diameter.

holy cow - good for 14 buckets!

[DrTimPerkins]

Biologically it is one tree. For forestry purposes (timber or tapping), each stem measurable separately at 4.5 ft above the ground (dbh height) is considered its own stem and tapped as such.

[minehart gap]

Biologically it is one tree.

Dr. Tim, does that mean that it has a singular root system?

[jdircksen]

Dr. Tim, does that mean that it has a singular root system?

I'm curious about this too. If it was a single tree with a single stump, then did the original stump rot away to make room for 7 root systems or do they share the root system? I wonder if there is benefit in planting a sugarbush with clusters of trees that would grow like this? I know they do it with apple trees (plant them side by side in the same pot).

I probably won't tap that tree since it is on a fence line and I'd have to get permission from 2 people, plus it already overhangs the neighbor's new she-shed and I don't want to have any part in crushing it.

[DrTimPerkins]

Dr. Tim, does that mean that it has a singular root system?

Most likely yes. Always the chance that several seeds landed and grew together, but that's not likely if the stems are connected at/near the stump.

[DrTimPerkins]

I probably won't tap that tree since it is on a fence line and I'd have to get permission from 2 people, plus it already overhangs the neighbor's new she-shed and I don't want to have any part in crushing it.

It can vary from location to location (so please note this is not in any way legal advice), but typically a landowner "owns" whatever portion of the tree falls within their projected boundary (straight up and down). That extends to both the roots and branches. In some places you are able to tap, cut, trim, etc. whatever lies on your land without a requirement to notify the neighbor (although it isn't a bad idea to talk to them first). In other places, you can do that, but if you cause the tree to die it could be your responsibility to correct the situation. So (in most cases), you would ask the landowner permission to tap any part of the stem on their property, and ask the other to tap on their side. If a tree falls on the boundary, you can tap on your side, but not on the other. This is also pertinent to damage caused by a tree. If it grows on your land, but a branch extending across the boundary falls and damages the neighbors house, it is their problem UNLESS you have notified the neighbor of the "danger" to your property. Same thing for roots clogging drainpipes, etc. Again, things may vary from place to place.