Inosculation

Inosculation^[a] is a natural phenomenon in which trunks, branches or roots of two trees grow together in a manner biologically similar to the artificial process of grafting. It customarily results when tree limbs are braided or pleached. The branches first grow separately in proximity to each other until they touch. At this point, the bark on the touching surfaces is gradually abraded away as the trees move in the wind. Once the cambium of two trees touches, they sometimes self-graft and grow together as they expand in diameter.

In forestry gemels (from the Latin word for "a pair") are trees that have undergone the process.^[1] Inosculation can happen across related species and occurs most commonly for branches of two trees of the same species.

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