Zombie Tree

      They say to transplant a tree it needs to be healthy. The shock of the move itself is hard enough on the tree's roots that you need to find one that's in great shape so it can actually survive the demanding process. A lot of what I read about planting trees doesn't seem to be true, at least not in my experience. So I decided to give it a try.

      We found a small tree, some kind of Oak I believe, probably a first year judging by its size, it was right near the area where we dug up six other trees that we transplanted together in a small cluster. We decided not to add this one to the cluster because its leaves were turning yellow and dying and had spots on them. Because it was close to where we were digging, we weren't sure if we disturbed its root system so we scooped the little guy up and brought him with us. If we didn't kill it, it would have died where it was anyway, so if anything we were putting him out of his misery, assisted suicide if you will. Whatever is on its leaves wasn't on any of the surrounding tree's leaves, even the same type of tree just a foot or two away that we took for our new cluster of trees. So we planted him a few feet away from the cluster and watered him like all of our other new trees.

      It's been a month now, almost exactly as we transplanted him on June 13. Not only has the tree not died, it has new shoots and brand new leaves that do not have the fungus present on the older leaves. The camera had too much trouble focusing on them but in the center of the tree, you can easily make out one of the three new leaves (it's pointing downward and slightly to the left). No special treatment was necessary, we didn't even mulch around it like we did the others, thinking it would be a waste of time and mulch. The soil was horrible, you can clearly see the rocks, especially in the picture above. When we moved in the log a week ago and laid some leaves and pine needles around it, we put a thin layer around the small tree and dropped a rock there to make the dying tree easier to spot so we wouldn't accidentally step on it.

      Turns out the dying tree came back to life, making it a zombie tree. Not only does it have new shoots and leaves, its existing leaves actually grew in size and regained some of their appropriate green color, losing some of the yellow sickly shade they'd taken on when we found it. The fungus is still there but the tree is very much alive and doing well. I think its small size helped it adapt to its new home since we didn't lose any of its roots in transplanting it. Now that it has a name and heroic story, he'll be well taken care of and with any luck the fungus will be gone next year when new leaves grow.

      This goes to show that a lot of the information out there on this subject is incorrect. We're told something is a fact and we believe it because it makes sense. The truth is, nature is a miracle in itself. I mean, trees grow out of cracks in boulders in the harshest environments where the soil is so thin you can scrape it off with your fingernail. Its not a rare occurrence, trees growing in the craziest places are a dime a dozen, you just have to open you eyes to it. So who are we to say what they're capable of? Don't count your plant life out, they're capable of amazing things. Sometimes you just need to give them a chance.