Usually inosculation happens between two trees of the same species but, judging from the bark patterns, your trees are two entirely different species.

Counties with the warmest summers in Kansas It’s a process called inosculation. Basically, four trees grew near each other and eventually grew together, appearing to be a single tree.

Courtesy photo/Shirley Felder The biology of this sycamore tree intermingled with some oak trees is call self or natural grafting.

SWD work brings inosculation to light on East Coast Road Self-grafted, a banyan tree and two Indian ash trees stand as one and look upon State Highways’ infrastructural work ...

Editor’s note: This is one in a continuing series of educational columns about fostering environmental stewardship and leadership coordinated by ACES — The Alliance of Climate and ...