This matai bur resides in my garden and I love it. It's an honored guest. So much character in that knotted face.
You may know it as a bur, or a burr, or a burl. All are accepted spellings in various parts of the world of this type of knobbly overgrowth of wood.
The matai tree it came from would have been maybe 800 years old and we found the bur in an area where the native bush was logged about 40 years ago. It had been cut from the trunk when the log was milled and left lying on the ground as an unwanted waste product. How could anything so lovely been seen as waste? The area was then replanted in pine trees for timber and pulp where once again this fabulous matai burr was covered with scrub and blackberry until it was re-exposed when the pines were harvested. This time, the land is being converted to dairy farms.
So I'm happy to offer a home for this "old-timer" in my garden. He doesn't deserve to be buried or burnt or have cows poo on him!
The matai tree is a New Zealand native and can grow up to 25 meters tall and live for over 1000 years. A bur is usually the result of some injury where the tree responds by making too much growth. This one is about knee high and is the biggest we've ever seen.
Times have changed and now he is of value to people like wood turners. But he'll grace my garden with his wonderful presence until I shuffle off!
We have a number of matia burrs about the garden but this old man is our pride and joy.
7 comments:
Oh that bur is gorgeous. What glorious character. I am so glad you rescued him and gave him a spot of honour.
He is definitely a beauty! Is he petrified? I had a couple of burls, but I didn't treat them with anything and the wood ants made sawdust out of them. Sigh.
Leah - He's fabulous, isn't he. Sits right beside the front step so we see him every time we come in.
Baggie - Matai is a very hard wood and so they usually last forever - more or less! If they get a rot in them then they will perish but I'm betting that one will outlast me!
Nature sculpture--the best kind!
I have a lot of rocks here from building the house, but nothing like that wood.
Mary Anne in Kentucky
That is lovely! I too am glad you rescued him from the indignities of cows! I am sure he is much happier in your garden.
Solarity - Nice to meet you! Rocks have the same sort of feel too. I love them in the garden. But I'm getting too old for all the hefting about.
Reb - He deserves a dignified final resting place.
Oh, he is just gorgeous! I am so glad that he has a friend in you. What a handsome, fascinating, and wise old fellow. How I would love to spend time with him. Oh, the stories he could tell if he could speak -- but then, he does speak in his own way, doesn't he?
Thank you for sharing your burly friend. Your post put a big smile on my face.
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