The Resin of the Cherry Tree
June 27, 2022
Photographer: Teresa Molinaro
Summary Author: Teresa Molinaro
When trees experience stressful conditions, they react by producing a rubbery material called resin. These environmental stresses can cause injuries to the trees created by climatic factors, such as temperature and water availability, or biological factors, like pathological attacks by fungi or larvae that insinuate themselves inside the plant. Alternatively, resin production could simply be due to tree aging.
In the photo above, I have captured the resin produced by a cherry tree growing near Madonie Park in Sicily, Italy. Although the gummy material that comes out of the bark is not a good sign for the health of the plant, it is undeniable that the brilliance of the resin under the sunlight produces a very interesting appearance. Once dried, resin turns into a material called amber that protects the tree from future stresses or injuries. Photo taken on September 14, 2021.
Photo details: NIKON D3400 1/320 sec. f / 13 160 mm ISO 200 75mm lens