Question

Why do trees grow around objects and seem to grow into them as well?

When some trees grow around things such as fences, bicycles etc they seem to actually grow not just through them but actually they tend to seem to eat the object as well.

I bought house before and there was a tree that actually grew into an old bicycle.

The tree seemed to basically eat the bicycle and not just grow around it.

The bicycle was inside the tree mostly with part of it still out of the tree?

Answer 1

I've had a few trees around my house as well that consumed things when they began growing around those objects.

The tree naturally adds more wood as it grows so since the object is in the way the tree has no choice but to basically consume the object as it grows outwards towards the object so that is why the bicycle was consumed basically by the tree.

The consuming of objects by trees happens through the trees natural growth process.

Primary growth makes trees grow upwards, secondary growth makes trees get thicker.

Both types of growth take place regardless of objects near the tree.

If something is left pressed against a tree stem or branch it will react to the object and gradually occlude it.

In some cases the object will become part of the support structure of the tree.