Strange Garry Oak

I was amazed in March last year to see this Garry Oak in the Cadboro Bay neighbourhood of Victoria, BC.

What circumstances do you think might have caused it to grow like this? It does not look to me like a tree that has been cut down and then re-sprouted but, if not that, then what?

 

Perhaps a burl developed right at the base of the tree.

 

Hello Vitog - that is a very interesting possibility.

When I googled 'burl', I saw a similar-looking burl on a spruce tree.

File:Fatburl.jpeg - Wikipedia

Thank you.

 

Very cool! Another place with interesting Garry oaks is the shoreline of Hornby -- the wind does some intriguing things to them!