Alaska Tree Tumors!

We have a natural, growth phenomena on our trees in Alaska. They are called burls, and they are woody growths on the trunks of our Spruce, Birch, and a few other types of trees. You can find them easily in the wooded areas, which is just about all of Alaska. Some people refer to them as tumors.

Small Spruce Tree with Burls growing

Picture by K. Fields

A burl is a deformed growth that are mostly found on the trunks of the trees, sometimes the branches. It can be caused by an injury, which happens often to the trees in the area where I live, because they grow so closely together that their branches damage each other during high winds.

And the wildlife can also damage some trees. Other reasons could be an infection in the tree under the bark, insect infestation, fungus or it could just be where a branch has never matured.

Black Spruce with burls all the way up the trunk Picture by K. Fields

Burls can be anywhere in size from the size of the knuckle on one of your fingers, up to hundreds of pounds, and some could be as large as 4 ft. I have a friend who removed one from a tree that was 6 ft tall and about 4 ft round. It was huge…

Then they sliced the burl up and dried it out, then sanded it till smooth and covered it with wood sealer and lots of coats of varnish, and used them for table tops. They are stunningly beautiful…

Sliced Spruce Burl Table Top with Peeled Aspen Burl legs Picture by K. Fields

The burls do not seem to have any effect on the growth of the trees, they grow normally and live a long time, unless the burl has grown so big that the weight can cause the tree to break or die.

But since we seem to have a plethora of them where I live, they are used for all sorts of things, banisters on staircases, mailbox poles, decorative pillars on porches, and deck fencing. The wood is prized because of the unique shapes and ring patterns of swirls and twirls.

Duck made from willow branches for the wings, and Aspen Burls for the body

Picture by Steve Fields

But some of them are just too old and rotted out to use for anything useful, but that doesn’t stop Alaskans from having a little fun with them.

Baby Moose made with Spruce Burls and wobbly aspen tree with burls Picture by Steve Fields

Hermit Crab made with Spruce Burls and Aspen Burl branches Picture by Steve Fields

Brown Bear made with Spruce BurlsPicture by Steve Fields

Caribou made with Spruce Burls and Aspen burl legs with real Caribou Antlers Picture by Steve Fields

Mosquito made with Willow branches for wings, and spruce burl body, and legs and Aspen Burl stinger

Picture by Steve Fields

This burl mosquito has been claimed to be a real close size of the Alaska mosquito. :)

Thanks for reading!

CU