Curved Branches

[Slowmodem]

We have some fruit trees and we've got a weird one.  There was no bending because of snow, wind, or anything like that.  It just decided to grow some crooked limbs.  I could maybe see one.  But look how many there are and just at about the same place and the same direction!   

I wonder what would cause that?  Oh, it's a pear tree (I think).

I added the one with the riding lawnmower just for scale.

[LogicalBee]

And we thought bees were unpredictable. 

Now that really is a mystery.  Since they all have the same bend, I would speculate we could rule out insect damage as a cause; that should be random.  Maybe the cells on the inner radius decided to stop elongating before the cells on the outer radius and hence the bend.  I have no idea, I’m just rambling at this point 

Good food for thought though.  Thanks for the post.

[LazyBkpr]

wow, interesting..  High winds/storm started the bend and the tree straightened itself out?  Just a guess here as well...

[tbonekel]

Very strange indeed!  I see those nice looking hives in the background, though.

[Barbarian]

Those limbs are going to be awkward when it comes to gathering the crop.

I think I would be reaching for my loppers.