When a tree is young, it may look like it only has a few nodes or branches and a thin trunk. This can be attributed to a phenomenon known as "trunking." This occurs when a young tree starts to produce long, branched fruit which grows down each branch and out of the main trunk. The trunk eventually stops growing altogether, becoming thinner and more delicate. The main problem with trunking is that new growth never extends far enough back to support the weight of the expanding branches.
Some conifers and some deciduous broad-leaved trees develop this problem. Some examples of trees with this condition are the greater antineoplastic tree, Poplar, Dogtooth Pine, and the broad-leaved Dogtooth Elm. An even more common form of trunk distortion occurs when the branch on the inside of the trunk bends sharply, causing branches to grow outward instead of out. This condition is called "backbiting." Sometimes the bending trunk grows straight up instead of out, and the resulting tree is known as a "corm" tree. All three forms result in a tree with an irregular trunk shape.
A problem that other trees have as well is the appearance of "corms," or large, distorted branches. If you look at a large dead tree, you will see a number of small branches sticking out from its trunk. If all the branches grow in the same direction, and grow outward, the tree looks as if it's just topped off. In real life, however, many of these branches grow inward, creating "corms." The most obvious sign of a growing crown is that the tree's branches are pointing toward the sky, and the trunk itself may appear to be tilting toward the wind. If you have ever seen a forest with many tree crowns, you probably also noticed that the tops of many of these trees were drooping.
A good method to determine whether or not a tree's crown is leaning is to touch it. Tap the trunk firmly above your head, and if it doesn't bounce back like it should, then the branches are pointing downward. If it does bounce back with a bounce that is much more substantial, but still less than the rest of the tree, the branches are growing in the wrong direction. To remedy this, you should examine the trunk closely, making sure that the branches are growing in the direction they are supposed to. You should also notice if you can easily get your hands underneath the tree without your palms facing upward.
A common reason why many tree owners are confused about a tree's crowning or falling leaves is because they're looking at it from the wrong angle. To really know if the tree's roots are pointing into the wind, you should raise your palm as high as possible. Hold the palm flat against the tree's side, and if the tree's roots move downward toward your hand, this is good. If they point toward your fingertips, it means the tree is leaning to the wind. If you have fallen victim to a windstorm while walking barefoot up a tree, it's very likely that you've walked directly into the roots.
If you feel that a tree is leaning or swaying to one side, the best thing to do is to stop and sit down. Stop the walk and begin to count backwards from ten. The farther you walk back, the further the tree will swing away from you.