Summary

Chapter 7

Wohlleben describes the ideal appearance for a tree as having a straight trunk and strong branches starting only higher up, forming a symmetrical crown. He explains that trees of this shape have more stability. If wind or other forces tear at the crown, the impact is felt down the whole trunk and at the roots. Asymmetries or weak spots could lead to the tree cracking. A forked tree, especially with a V-shape rather than a U-shape, ends up with its two forks swaying in different directions and breaks more easily. Trees on slopes can be pushed down by moving snow or soil as they grow, so their lower parts end up curved and the top grows straight. Also, on the edge of deciduous forests, there are more angled trees because they try to reach the sunlight. They may have shorter lives for...