Why Do Trees Get Short and Twisted Near the Top?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why do trees get short and twisted near the top?

The Big Idea

Near the treeline, icy winds and blowing ice crystals scour off buds and branches on the windy side! Trees survive by staying low and growing sideways. They can look like flags, with branches on only one side.

Icy Wind

Step one: icy wind. Icy winds carry tiny ice crystals that scrape off buds and branches on the windy side. Those branches cannot grow, so they stay bare or die back.

Staying Low

Step two: staying low. Trees survive by staying low and growing sideways. Snow can cover them in winter and protect them from the wind.

Krummholz

Step three: krummholz. These twisted trees are called krummholz, a German word meaning crooked wood. Their branches point the way the wind blows, like a compass made of wood.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! Wind blasts one side of the tree. The branches on that side get scraped away. The branches on the other side survive. That makes a tree that looks like a flag.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Some twisted mountain trees are hundreds of years old but only waist high. They grow very slowly in the cold, adding only a tiny ring of wood each year. Krummholz means crooked wood in German. Trees on the same slope bend the same way.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Make a small paper flag and tape it to a stick. Use a paper fan or your own breath to blow on it. Which way does it point? Trees near the treeline end up pointing the same way. Share what you discover with a grown-up.

Outro

Wind sculpts trees at the edge of the forest. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!