White Foam At The Trunk Foot Of The Tree
In heavy rain, some trees can be seen foam on the trunk. This comes from the saponins contained in the bark and washed out by the rainwater. These soap substances are a normal metabolic product that protects the tree from pests and predators. Saponins dissolve the fats in the cells of the invaders. Since bark is often the gateway for pests and pathogens, there are particularly many saponins there. Because the cell walls of the trees are woody, they themselves are not damaged. The coarser the bark, the larger its area and the more foam is formed. Therefore, the white foam is seen more often in old oak trees and less often in smooth beech trees.
White Foam At The Trunk Foot Of The Tree
In heavy rain, some trees can be seen foam on the trunk. This comes from the saponins contained in the bark and washed out by the rainwater. These soap substances are a normal metabolic product that protects the tree from pests and predators. Saponins dissolve the fats in the cells of the invaders. Since bark is often the gateway for pests and pathogens, there are particularly many saponins there. Because the cell walls of the trees are woody, they themselves are not damaged. The coarser the bark, the larger its area and the more foam is formed. Therefore, the white foam is seen more often in old oak trees and less often in smooth beech trees.