Fallen chestnut tree in Thompson’s Park, Cardiff, April 26
How will it end? This old horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) in Thompson’s Park, Cardiff, was felled by the gale we called Storm Imogen on February 8 (see my blog post here). But it doesn’t know it’s dead. I have been photographing it for the last couple of months as it came into leaf and flower as normal, despite being horizontal.
It was already standing at an angle in January
In late January it hosted several species of fungi…
…more fungi
You can see other fungi from that foray in my blog post here.
In early February it was surrounded by a cloud of purple crocus
Then on February 8 came Storm Imogen…
The day after the storm
Boughs were shattered
The wet branches looked so sad
Fungi were smashed
Fungi were flattened
A park bench was uprooted
The tree still lay there in March, as daffodils came into flower
Then in early April, as the daffodils faded, leaves appeared on the tree
I didn’t think they would last
But last week the chestnut was still flourishing
Despite its broken limbs…
…the flowers look strong
Are the roots still gaining nourishment?
Although it is on its side, it senses which way is up
An opportunity for a close-up…
…the bark is cracked but beautiful
Now the tree lies in a field of wild garlic or ramsons (Allium ursinum)
I wonder if the parks people will leave it there, and whether it will make conkers and its offspring will live on?
The Squirrelbasket 
poor tree. #iwanttobeatree
I suppose they all keel over eventually…
Best wishes 🙂
What a shame and how amazing the tree still keeps on going.
I suppose it’s living on borrowed time and borrowed “juice”.
All the best 🙂
Its just unbelieable how this beautiful tree is surviving. Wonderful photo’s !!
Thanks for the kind words.
I don’t know how long it can keep it up, though.
Best wishes 🙂
In my local woodland, there is a wild pear tree that got blown down – or maybe it fell down for some other reason.. anyway. It now survives as a pear hedge, and its flowers are plentiful in spring.
I hope the park department leaves the chestnut. The time to remove it would have been before it fell over, incase it landed on anyone! Now, it enriches the landscape without being a health & safety concern. And parks departments are known for their h&s concerns!
I live in hope!
Certainly I have seen them cut off low-hanging boughs in the past.
The pattern I have seen with some other fallen trees is that first they cut off the straggly branches, then later they chop the trunk into big pieces, then finally just leave a stump.
At least in this case it is still attached to its roots.
All the best 🙂
An interesting read and love the photos that tell the tale.
Thank you 🙂
Pat some plants do continue after being dug up or branches cut off, I wondered how and read/heard (forget which) that it is the food etc. in the main stem, in this case the trunk, some of the roots look like they are still in the ground so it probably is also getting some nourishment from below, I find it interesting how plants know whats up even if they are on their side (or corms I’ve mistakenly planted upside down), I do so hope they will leave the tree it will make a wonderful wildlife habitat, thanks for the update, Frances
Thank you. I am also guessing it is still getting nourishment from the root plate. Long may it last!
As for the “up” and “down” I recall having it explained in school biology classes by the one word “auxins”. These are plant hormones and I think some are attracted to light and some to gravity, which helps work out which way is up…
All the best 🙂
It will be fascinating to see how this pans out.
Hope it’s not over too quickly!
Best wishes 🙂
Awesome update thank you for sharing have a blessed day
Thank you – hope your day is good, too!
How amazing that those leaves look so lush with so few roots in the soil. Also, its bark is very beautiful. Great record!
Thanks for the vote of confidence 🙂
All the best.
Nature is amazing isn’t it? If the tree isn’t too much in the way perhaps the park folks will leave it be for the time being and allow you to chronicle it’s behavior Pat.
I hope so, too. Although I don’t think they will care much about my wishes!
All the best 🙂
That’s so cool! I don’t suppose the Parks people will leave it alone, but how neat if they did.
Ours aren’t as bad as some departments I have heard about, but we’ll see…
All the best 🙂
What an incredible life-force a tree has, even when stricken. It will be interesting to see further installments on its fate.
The force that through the green fuse drives the flower…
As Dylan Thomas said.
Best wishes 🙂