The freezing temperatures don’t just impact people; the bitter cold can have a major impact on trees. One you can hear.
Videos of so-called “exploding trees” have taken social media by storm as a massive winter weather event descends on a huge swath of the country. But is the extreme cold really causing trees to explode?
“Trees can break apart in severe cold it’s just something we don’t see here very often. There’s a lot of chatter about it on social media everyone is excited it’s unusual,” said Morton Arboretum plant knowledge specialist Sharon Yiesla.
There are “numerous historic and current observations” of trees exploding, according to the National Forest Foundation, and Yiesla said a version of exploding trees isn’t impossible. But it’s much more likely what you’re hearing is from what tree experts call “frost cracking.”
“The tree warms up during the day because of sun. It starts to cool off at night and the bark cools faster than the wood so it splits open,” she explained.
Trees with existing damage and thin bark are more prone to frost cracks.
“A day like this is perfect for frost cracks to happen. We had very cold temperatures and we have bright sunshin,” Yiesla said.
The good news is that trees are resilient, and the cracks often heal with time.
The folks at the Morton Arboretum’s plant clinic are always addressing questions like these and said they’re expecting to hear from folks noticing changes in their yards after this frigid weekend.
