Dead Hickory

[Frax]

This is a section from a dead hickory we dropped last week. I'm not sure how long it was dead. Top was getting crumbly and the fine twigs already gone, so dead awhile.
The stump showed no obvious rot or anything but I admit I didn't look at it meticulously.
About 1/3 the way up there was a section like this.


dead hickory by altacal, on Flickr

Any ideas, and whether it could be related to the tree's death or is secondary?

 

[guymayor]

That's not an uncommon kind of coloration on hickory down here in these parts. The pattern and location at growth rings is curious--maybe count the number of rings down to where they are concentrated, and ask the client what happened that many years ago?

Or is it just part of a natural transition to heartwood? I'm stumped!

 

[MisterSir]

It looks like blue stain associated with some type of sapwood fungi.

 

[oldoakman]

Old sap sucker damage.

 

[fireaxe]

It looks like whatever it was happened twice. The first time, it looks like it compartmentalized ok. The second time looks like the beginning of the end. Heavy lean or high exposure? Hickory trees are usually happiest in stable environments and the uneven growth is curious. Changes 45 and 20 years ago?

Great puzzle. Any further history?

 

[KTSmith]

Nothing here indicating cause of death. Indeed, repeated periods of injury, both large and small. The fingers of discoloration moving outward from the heartwood could associated with dead large branches. The small well-compartmentalized wounds could be sapsuckers. Could be other things as well. I don't see any bluestain. Hard to say much from a single disk at an arbitrary height.

 

[Blinky]

Sapsuckers... that makes sense.