How do wild grape vines rise straight up, 20 feet or more, to the crown of trees?
They don’t. The old grape vines that you see suspended from the crowns of trees had support in reaching those heights. When an opening occurs in a forest through logging, natural tree fall, or wind storms, a thick growth of young trees becomes established while there is plenty of light for growth. Young grape vines will grow rapidly then and use their tendrils to attach to other plants for support. As the new forest continues to grow, the canopy of tree crowns will again close and severely limit the amount of light that penetrates beneath the canopy. Many of the plants that grew well in full sunlight will eventually die, fall and rot away. By that time the grape vines that were attached to those plants will have their leafy stems up in the canopy and the older, woody portions of the vines, which no longer have tendrils, may be suspended in mid-air or draped against the trunks of older trees. Ombudsman Tim Smith will respond to your questions, suggestions or complaints concerning Depart
