Urban Forests. The Hippo Tree.

Trees experience much harsher living conditions in the city.  And they show resilience.

Smog, night light and noise levels, compacted soils, polluted runoff, bark wounds, power lines, pruning, and insects all make a Urban Forest tree's life a daily challenge.

The photos here are of a laurel oak, Quercus laurifolia, infected by a pest organism a long time ago and the immune response.

I call this tree the Hippo Tree.  The galls form the faces of a momma hippo, a father hippo and baby hippos.

The laurel oak is growing in a healthy manner and show no signs of stress caused by the galls.

Mother Nature is amazingly resilient.