DNR wants oddball tree nominations

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This weird tree in LaPorte County was submitted by Richard Magiera. | Provided Photo~Sun-Times Media

Updated: February 17, 2012 8:01AM

Some are craggy. Some are creepy. Some just can’t get enough of each other.

They are the trees that make the cut every four years in the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ “Invasion of the Weird Trees” publication. Think of it as the Olympics for the oddballs of the tree world.

Just a glance at the 2008 edition reveals quirky examples: a tree that looks like it was encircled by a snake, a tree with what looks like a monkey’s head protruding from the trunk, and two trees that decided to join forces halfway up their trunks.

The winning entry for Porter County in 2008 looked like the tree doubled as a shelter, with triangular entries on either side of the tree, while LaPorte County’s entry looked like a snake had influenced the growth of the tree, which took a roundabout way to its upright position.

Lake County is one of nine counties that never has had an entry since the contest started in 2000, which comes as a surprise to Sam Carman, DNR Division of Forestry education director.

“I’m from Lake County, so I know there are some weird ones,” said Carman, a Highland native.

Any size and species is welcome; the only requirement is that it must be a tree. The deadline for submissions is April 30.

Carman said the search for weird trees started as an outgrowth of the state’s big tree register, where biologists go out to verify measurements to determine the biggest of each species.

“Landowners were excited to tell me stories about their trees, but not everybody can find one biggest of given species,” Carman said. “Some trees are so strange or grotesque that people need to see a picture of it.”

Entries have grown since the first edition, which received around 100 submissions, to 2008, which saw around 230 entries.

Some of the quirks can be explained easily, such as being infected fungus or disease, Carman said. The current edition of “Invasion” explains some of the biological causes at www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/files/fo-InvasionWeirdTrees_2008.pdf.

At least two nonreturnable photographs must be submitted to Sam Carman, DNR Division of Forestry, 402 W. Washington, Room W296, Indianapolis, IN 46204. Digital photos should be emailed to scarman@dnr.IN.gov. Along with the photos, be sure to include your name, address, phone number and the specific location of the tree, including the county.

District foresters will cull the submissions to identify the weirdest tree in each county. The winning entries will be included in the 2012 edition, which will be available online this fall.