Introduction
At the end of my article entitled: Are Trees Ectoparasites That Grow On Wood? I asked this question: Can Trees Be Transferred To Other Formers?That article discusses how trees may or may not be parasites that grow on wood.
Once a tree is established it is effectively a living entity growing on a wooden former.
I now wonder if the growing part of a tree can be completely stripped from the wood upon which it grows and made to adhere to, and flourish, on another former: e.g. a concrete or steel frame.
Application – Transferring Trees To Other Formers
Why would anyone want to transfer a tree to alternative formers other than the original wooden trunks they grew on? Maybe to create timber of a particular shape. It would have to be supple enough to be fitted to the new shape, but if it continued to grow it would presumably deposit wood onto that new former as the years progressed and its living fibres died to form new timber underneath. After several years that new timber could be harvested with its desired shape.