Tree fork
![Typical wood grain pattern at a mature tree fork, Slater et al.2014[1]](/uploads/202502/17/Tree_fork_wood_grain_anatomy,_Slater_and_Ennos_20153701.png)

A tree fork is a bifurcation in the trunk of a tree giving rise to two roughly equal diameter branches. These forks are a common feature of tree crowns. The wood grain orientation at the top of a tree fork is such that wood cells interlock to provide sufficient mechanical support. A common malformation of a tree fork is where bark has formed within the join and these bark-included junctions often have a heightened risk of failure.