What’s With All the Bent Cedars?

Many people have commented on what seems to be a large number of cedar trees in rough shape this spring. I snapped a photo and sent it to the best source for answers in the area on all things nature – Roy Lukes. Here’s his reply:

It appears to me, regarding the photo you sent of the bent cedars, that they may have had an ice build-up for a few weeks, along with some wind, that bent them into this shape. Chances are the tips of those cedars will begin to grow upward toward their zenith, leaving the trees with an unusual bent shape.

Cedars are very shallow-rooted trees and frequently give in to snow build-up and high winds. Look down one of the wide swales at the Ridges and you will notice many cedars along especially the north edges bending outward and then upward, in somewhat of a “C” shape. A good place to see the bizarre shapes of cedars is along the stairway down to the shore at the northern tip of Rock Island State park – below the light house. This is one of my favorite spots in Door County, and I hope it remains somewhat wild!!