Burl
Often seen as a rounded outgrowth on a tree trunk or large limb, a burl results from a tree undergone some form of stress. This may be may be injury, virus or fungus. Almost all burled wood is covered by bark and in certain species of trees, burls can grow to great size.
Burls yield a very peculiar and highly figured wood. That outward growth on a tree hides a treasure inside wood grain that has been redirected into sweeps and swirls. Burled wood can be extremely hard to “work” because its grain is twisted and interlocked, but this wild patterning also causes the wood to be dense, resistant to splitting, and of course, beautiful to polish.
Prized for its beauty and rarity, it is much sought after by furniture makers, artists, and sculptors. Burls are so highly valued, they are most often sliced into thin veneers for inlay in fine automobiles or musical instruments. In addition, some of the most expensive shotguns in the world with prices well into six figures cost so much because of the burled walnut stock. It has been said that man makes steel and he can do it in a day, but only God can decide to design a single burl in a specific tree and when He does, years go into the effort.
