Tree crowns grow into self-similar shapes controlled by gravity and light sensing

摘要: Plants have developed different tropisms: in particular, they re-orient their branches towards light (phototropism) or upwards (gravitropism). How these tropisms affect the shape of a tree crown remains unanswered. We address this question by developing propagating front model growth. This being length-free, it leads to self-similar solutions, independent initial conditions, at long time. Varying intensities each tropism, shapes emerge, including singular ones. Interestingly, bear similarities with existing species. It is concluded that core specific trees relies on balance between tropisms.