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Tree fork
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<p>A tree fork is a bifurcation in the trunk of a <a href="/facts/Tree/HVVn3srN">tree</a> giving rise to two roughly equal diameter branches. These forks are a common feature of tree crowns. The wood grain orientation at the top of a tree fork is such that the wood's grain pattern most often interlocks to provide sufficient mechanical support. A common "malformation" of a tree fork is where <a href="/facts/Bark_(botany)/vdL49ec1">bark</a> has formed within the join, often caused by natural bracing occurring higher up in the crown of the tree, and these bark-included junctions often have a heightened risk of failure, especially when bracing branches are pruned out or are shaded out from the tree's crown. </p>