A Witches Broom And A Lighthouse

Longtime blog readers may know that two of my hobbies are birding and tree watching. Out on a hike I’m open to both, and depending on the day, one goes better than the other. On a recent vacation to the coast the tree watching had the better of it.

I took one hike that snaked along the cliffs not far from Cannon Beach, Oregon. I’d brought binoculars and a camera, which are usually for birding, but they can come in handy for trees. This time I found these two curious balls on a spruce trunk. At first I thought, hm, strange place for moss to grow. I took this photo, blew it up a bit, and doubted that first impression. Didn’t have moss vibes. More like the bright knobs of a succulent.

Then with the camera’s telephoto at 1360mm, this is what I saw. Spruce shoots. It was a witches broom. The tightest one I’d ever seen.

Witches brooms are dense growth caused by pathogens, parasites, and genetic mutations. Or, as folklore would have it, these growths are the handiwork of actual witches. Or, the transportation devices of witches. Take your pick.

In any event, many dwarf conifer cultivars have been made from witches brooms, which are created by cuttings. Some can be made into bonsai, especially shohin. (Cultivar vs. Variety: a cultivar is a genetic selection, propagated only through cuttings or other horticultural, non-sexual means; a variety is a naturally occurring, self-reproducing plant that comes true from seed.)

On another hike I saw a lighthouse off the coast. This is Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, built in 1880. There are delightful lighthouses all along the Oregon coast, all except for this one. It’s nicknamed Terrible Tilly.

I don’t wish to ruin your weekend with a tragic lighthouse story, but a few days before the beacon was lit and it began business saving people, a boat capsized nearby. All on board died except for a dog who swam to the island. After that the success of the lighthouse went downhill, with a long string of worse stories until it was abandoned in 1957.

It does look rather nice from a half mile away.

It’s also for sale.