When GGM Landscaping fell a tree we look closely at the cut face, and the rings show how the tree grew and what it survived, and sometimes why it failed.
How tree rings form inside the trunk – Guide by experienced stump removers
Under the bark sits a thin layer of living tissue called the cambium, which adds a new band of wood around the tree every growing season.
Fast spring growth makes wide, pale cells and slower late-summer growth makes narrow, darker ones.
Each year therefore shows as one pale and dark pair.
Winters in Britain stop growth completely, so a native oak or Scots pine lays down one ring a year and the count works as an age.
The science of dating wood from its growth rings is called dendrochronology, and researchers use it to date historic timbers and reconstruct the history of past climate in woodland and forest.
How to count the rings on a tree stump
Counting starts with a clean cut, because a chainsaw leaves a rough, torn surface.
Sand the stump or a slice of trunk with coarse sanding paper and work through finer grits until the rings stand out. Then wipe the wood with a damp cloth to darken the latewood.
Pick a straight line from the pith, the small dark centre, out to the bark, and count each pale and dark pair along it, using a magnifying glass for the finest rings.
A tree that grew on a lean or among crowding neighbours has uneven rings, so count along two or three lines and take the average.
Treat your figure as an estimate, it might not be completely accurate.
A drought summer can add a false ring, and a stump cut low into the root flare carries extra rings from the roots.
What the detail in the tree rings reveals
We don’t just look at the age of the tree, the tree rings can help reveal the history of each growth season.
Wide rings mean a good year with plenty of light and rain. Narrow rings point towards drought, shade from a neighbouring tree or damage to the crown.
Rings that sit off-centre or widen on one side show the tree grew under strain from a lean. It could be due to wind or from the weight of a heavy limb.
A dark scar sealed over by later rings records a wound the tree survived, such as a lost branch or a storm injury.
Soft, dark or hollow wood at the centre indicates decay inside the trunk.
We can piece together tiny clues to reveal the life the tree once had.
What tree stump rings mean for a tree removal
A hollow or stained centre on the cut face shows the trunk was decaying inside, and that explains why tree removal rather than pruning was needed.
Tight, even rings and clean pale wood point towards a tree that had a healthy life.
The rings fade quickly once a stump is left in the ground. Weather stains the surface, fungus blurs the pattern and rot sets in within a season or two.
If you are interested in learning about the life your tree had, make sure to read or keep the rings soon after the tree comes down.
Our stump grinding service reclaims the space you tree occupied and turns the whole face to woodchip, so take any slice before the grinder arrives.
Making a tree ring print from a wood slice
Once a trunk slice has dried, you can turn it into tree ring art as a simple DIY job with a roller, some ink and a sheet of paper.
Tell the GGM Landscaping team when you book if you’d like a section kept, and we’ll say whether the trunk is sound enough to cut one from.
We’ve published a guide on creative stump ideas, in case you would rather leave your stump in your garden.
Preparing the stump slice
Wet wood cracks as it dries, so seal the end of the slice with wax and leave it indoors to dry slowly for several months before sanding it smooth.
A slice a few centimetres thick holds its shape better than a thin one, and a natural wood slice looks good at home on a shelf even if you never print it.
Pulling the print
To make a tree ring print, roll a thin coat of water-based ink over the sanded face, lay paper on top, and press down with the back of a spoon or a clean roller before peeling the paper away.
The ink picks up the wood texture, so every tree stump print comes out different.
Mount the paper print behind glass in a frame a little larger than the slice, and it makes simple wall art for a hall.
A photo of the cut face is the alternative if you can’t keep the slice.
Frequently asked questions on tree stump rings
Do all trees make one ring a year?
Trees in Britain do, because winter stops growth, so the number of rings matches the years of life. Droughts can add a false ring, and tropical trees without a clear dry or cold season may not form distinct rings at all.
Can you tell a tree’s age from a rotten stump?
Rot at the centre removes the oldest rings, so you can only be roughly right. Count the rings that remain and add an estimate for the missing core, using the width of the innermost rings as a guide.
Can I keep a slice from a felled tree?
If the trunk is sound you can, so ask when you book the work, seal the end grain with wax and dry the slice slowly indoors to stop it splitting.
Do the rings show whether a living tree is diseased?
Only once it is cut, so for a standing tree a survey by a qualified arborist is the way to check for decay, because the damage inside a trunk often shows nothing on the outside.
Does stump grinding destroy the rings?
Grinding reduces the surface to woodchip and takes the pattern with it. Cut a slice from the trunk or photograph the face before the grinder arrives.
Thinking about a tree that needs to come down? GGM Landscaping can help
Need rid of your tree stump fast? Book a free survey in Central Scotland from the GGM Landscaping team.
Our arborists will check the health of the trunk, the roots and the canopy before recommending anything.
Call 07946 322717 and a certified arborist will tell you whether your tree can stay, needs cutting back or has to come down.