Pyrus communis ( Common pear )
Current height: 60 cm
Collected: Spring 2014
This Pear has grown in the tiny stone pit used in the past by locals to get some material for their houses. The pit was abandoned while ago and now the nature is slowly taking it back.
The hawthorns, wild roses, locust trees are the dominant species that are again invading the space with enormous vigour.
I came to this area during my search for the blackthorns that grow on the adjacent slopes. I was initially attracted by the hawthorns and only accidently spotted a tree that grew in the pocket in the otherwise upright stone wall. Many years ago a small seed of a pear landed in the crack of
weathered rock. Anchored the first tiny roots and begun the life of struggle with hard rock, scarce water and nutrient supply. The nature elements - water, frost, sun and wind - have combined their forces to erode the place more and more. On one side it was beneficial to the tree on the other side though it has gradually endangered its existence. The slope below the tree has been scattered by piece of stones eroded from the stone wall. It was a matter of time when the rock will hit the tree and tear it out of its bed.
After the first spot and examination of the tree and its surrounding I was quite hesitant how to proceed further. Leave the tree in its space or try to dig it out? What is the chance to get enough roots to secure the healthy survival of the tree and to avoid excessive disintegration of the rock that could land on my head?
It was probably the challenge and a dose of adrenaline that made me take my tools including the iron bar that was used to break the rock and collect the tree.
After the collection the tree has found new home in a plain wooden box and it started to grow without any hesitation. Encouraged by its activity and limited by the storage space I have repoted it in spring 2015 - just one year after collection. This is normaly not the best you can do, but luckily the tree is OK and produce new shoots. The m ajority on the top section but I hope that next year the new buds will cover also the lower part.
Now, as the tree in its original place has grown squeezed into the rock crevice the lower part of the trunk is quite flat. I can see that this part is increasing its volume a bit since there is a
free space around. So maybe the trunk will get a normal look at the passage of time.
(The stick is supporting the tree after the transplantation into the growing pot )
Collected: Spring 2014
This Pear has grown in the tiny stone pit used in the past by locals to get some material for their houses. The pit was abandoned while ago and now the nature is slowly taking it back.
The hawthorns, wild roses, locust trees are the dominant species that are again invading the space with enormous vigour.
I came to this area during my search for the blackthorns that grow on the adjacent slopes. I was initially attracted by the hawthorns and only accidently spotted a tree that grew in the pocket in the otherwise upright stone wall. Many years ago a small seed of a pear landed in the crack of
weathered rock. Anchored the first tiny roots and begun the life of struggle with hard rock, scarce water and nutrient supply. The nature elements - water, frost, sun and wind - have combined their forces to erode the place more and more. On one side it was beneficial to the tree on the other side though it has gradually endangered its existence. The slope below the tree has been scattered by piece of stones eroded from the stone wall. It was a matter of time when the rock will hit the tree and tear it out of its bed.
After the first spot and examination of the tree and its surrounding I was quite hesitant how to proceed further. Leave the tree in its space or try to dig it out? What is the chance to get enough roots to secure the healthy survival of the tree and to avoid excessive disintegration of the rock that could land on my head?
It was probably the challenge and a dose of adrenaline that made me take my tools including the iron bar that was used to break the rock and collect the tree.
After the collection the tree has found new home in a plain wooden box and it started to grow without any hesitation. Encouraged by its activity and limited by the storage space I have repoted it in spring 2015 - just one year after collection. This is normaly not the best you can do, but luckily the tree is OK and produce new shoots. The m ajority on the top section but I hope that next year the new buds will cover also the lower part.
Now, as the tree in its original place has grown squeezed into the rock crevice the lower part of the trunk is quite flat. I can see that this part is increasing its volume a bit since there is a
free space around. So maybe the trunk will get a normal look at the passage of time.
(The stick is supporting the tree after the transplantation into the growing pot )
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