Witch's Broom in dad's old pine tree?

9 years ago

For the past twenty years, this has been growing on a large old pine on my dad's farm. The growth has a very thick stem that taps off the main trunk (very unlike the other thin branches). It almost looks like an entirely different tree. We finally decided to research it online today to see what it was and my best guess is a witch's broom. I couldn't find an example as big as this one though. Am I right in this and will it eventually kill the tree? Is this growth a dwarf version of the original tree? And what do you do with it?

(Closer look, sorry the photo quality isn't great)

Featured Answer

treeguy_ny USDA z6a WNY

9 years ago

It does look like a witch's broom, good find! The growth should have no ill effect on the parent tree (i.e. it won't kill it or harm it in any way, except if it were to break off and leave a scar on the main trunk). The tree itself looks like a Norway spruce (Picea abies) and not a pine tree. Pieces of witch's brooms are often grafted onto the roots of seedlings to create a dwarf tree that stands by itself. Norway spruce brooms are pretty common, and many people don't want to graft large-growing brooms because of the size they would take up in the garden (I personally like the larger growing ones!). So, to answer your question, I would just leave the broom in the tree and enjoy it for what it is - a unique genetic dwarf off the side of the parent tree.

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Comments (7)

dbarac
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks for the information treeguy! I'm very sure you're right that it is a spruce tree and not a pine. I wasn't sure and took a guess, as I know little about them. I knew that you guys would know, so I posted here. The witch's broom must be over 12' tall and the tree must be over 80' judging from the size of my 6'4" husband standing under it. Don't think I will be climbing up it to get a piece of it anytime soon, but it is certainly an interesting discovery. Thanks again!
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treeguy_ny USDA z6a WNY
9 years ago
I know some folks who use shotguns to shoot out sections of brooms to then graft!
dbarac thanked treeguy_ny USDA z6a WNY
Sara
9 years ago
Very cool! :)
dbarac thanked Sara
dbarac
Original Author
9 years ago
Ah, well my dad certainly has a few shotguns... Which made things a little intimidating for any of the boys that tried to date me in high school ;)
plantkiller_il_5
9 years ago
OH baby,,,finding a witch's broom is always an exciting thing.They sell cultivars today of brooms found hundreds of years ago, or 5 yrs. ago. someone should take scion and graft your plant,,,,you never know what it will grow into,,,,where does this plant live ?

search conifer forum for broom hunt,,,,,it's cool.

ron
dbarac thanked plantkiller_il_5
dbarac
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks Ron, this plant is in Ontario, Canada. About 2 hours north of Toronto.