Trees can often be injured by wind, snow, and lightning. If this injury results in the loss of a major limb, the tree can become dangerously unstable - particularly when again faced with extreme loads.
The Prosthetic Tree Limb is placed on the tree to balance the new loads. It is very difficult to attach the limb with anything near to nature's original strength. However, if the other limbs are pruned appropriately, and the new limb is attached with bolts, glues, and cleverly disguised straps, the new limb can support loads sufficient to keep the trunk from experiencing excessive asymmetric forces.
The annual autumn ritual of climbing the tree to pluck off the summery green plastic leaves to place in storage, and replacing with the bags and bags of red and yellow fall styles, may - hopefully - be a passtime to be pawned off on the kids.
(Idea courtesy of [penguinman])-- lurch, Feb 06 2006 (?) Prosthetic Tree http://www.neulinge...hone-tower-tree.jpg [DrCurry, Feb 06 2006] I keep on picturing tree war veterans for some reason.-- notmarkflynn, Feb 06 2006 (+) <news report - Kyodo News Wire- Tokyo> Sensation this morning in Kyoto when the winner of the World Bonsai Championship, a stunning miniature matsu pine submitted by renowned bonsai artist Mr Chinpo Kusai was found to have a fake limb. Mr Kusai, just before fleeing the venue, blamed his cat for snapping off the branch several months before the competition. "People were expecting me to enter the tree and win the competition", said the shamefaced civil servant from Shimonoseki. "This is another reason not to own cats." Police are seeking a foreigner dressed as a penguin to assist with their enquiries.-- ConsulFlaminicus, Feb 06 2006 Thought this would be a living, self-regenerating wooden leg.-- spidermother, Feb 06 2006 I like the idea of just being able to restore visual symmetry to a damaged tree. Perhaps, instead of having to seasonally exchange individual leaves, there might be complete branch assemblies which could be swapped out: Full summer foliage for April to September; Blazing fall foliage for late September to Thansgiving; Denuded branchwork for December through Easter.
...And all the veteran Ents in Middle Earth will surely sing your praises.-- jurist, Feb 06 2006 You can change the color of a cut carnation just by putting it in colored water. Perhaps something similar could be done in the fall. Just sprinkle bright red fertilizer next to the tree and the artificial limb could pick it up.-- Galbinus_Caeli, Feb 06 2006 random, halfbakery