How would a "Tesla tree" work?

Question

At some point I heard about the concept of a "Tesla tree" - a tree or plant-like thing which is able to produce tension arcs strong enough to generate and hit nearby objects with artificail lightning, effectively working as a Tesla coil. Alternatively, it could store atmospheric electricity or attract and "catch" normal lightning for later release when its "storage" is full. I don't remember when I heard about this but the concept looked really interesting; it may have been question about piezoelectric plants, but I'm not sure.

A plant like this (or a creature which looks like a plant) would need to resist the production, storage and release of high electric tensions.

Optional question: Why did this organism evolve, and the possible uses of this mechanism, both for the organism and for Tesla tree farmers.

Answer 1

Tesla Flytrap:

Your trees use leaf or trunk rocking in the wind to generate electricity through a piezoelectric effect in a windy, nutrient-poor environment. The biochemistry of piezoelectric plants doesn't currently exist, but isn't that implausible. Layers of conductive (metallic or saline)material alternated with non-conductive oily material would allow a separated charge differential to create a sort of battery/capacitor. While the tree has evolved the ability to store this energy, it may or may not be able to convert it into useable metabolic energy (let's say not). Instead, these structures are used to kill birds, insects, and small animals which then decay in the proximity of the tree, enriching the soil. Since there is abundant wind, these may be wind-pollenated trees not dependent on insects. There might still be flowers or fruit as lures, however.

Conductive branches running out to sticky lures (tiny for bugs, larger for animals) and zap animals when they land on the tree equivalent of a bug zapper.

Answer 2

There exists a potential of around 400,000 Volts between Earth's ionosphere and its surface. A tree which grew tall enough and had a large enough high-altitude surface area might conceivably be able to harness this potential difference to produce chemical energy or similar. It'd have to be large, because although the voltages are large, the available currents are small.

The image I'm getting is like a baobab tree, but twenty or more kilometers high.

Edit: To my knowledge, the main mechanism believed to generate this potential difference is the pumping of charges into the upper atmosphere by thunderstorms. Reference.

Answer 3

I could imagine the tree generating electricity in a similar way to solar cells - light to electricity. The trunk could have an inner structure like for a Cockcroft–Walton generator to build up the current. The trunk also would need to be a good electric insulator and fire resistant. The flashes would probably take some time to recharge and require sunlight to recharge. I would imagine such a tree to have 4 regions - a leafy treetop, the lowest ring of branches (where the electric arcs release would be burnt from the heat of the discharges and be quite the contrast, as mentioned above a insulating trunk, and roots that act as opposite pole for the arcs.

For the plant this could be a potent defense. I also imagine the electricity helping spread pollen and seeds. Around such a tree I would expect no weed - probably a burnt area of ground - so such a tree could remove competing plants. I also imagine such trees would need to be spaced out to not zap each other. The treetop would also be an extraordinary protected area for whatever animals that manage to reach it - might allow for interesting symbiosis.

For farmers the benefits could be:

• harvesting the electricity
• the wood would be interesting - likely being quite fire resistant and still have interesting electrical properties.
• smaller trees could make an electric fence

Answer 4

Electric Eel nerve cells

Most nervous cells in the animal kingdom discharge once a while regardless of what's happening. An Electric Eel is different. They have some cell structures that can hold a charge for longer. I can’t remember if these were specialised cells or actual nerve cells, but regardless they can hold thich charge. Thanks to many of these cells connected in series they can give big shocks.

In the plant kingdom we see plenty of plants that use mechanisms for rapid movement. It can be used to catch animals, fling seeds or fire tiny needles. These are often one shots or require some time to recharge, but serve their purpose.

A lightning tree can use the same idea. Adding some of these cells throughout, though these are much slower than in the animal kingdom. Electricity is a very energy wasting method more used by creatures using a ton of energy, so trees and plants would use a for their metabolism stable method.

The electricity can be grounded to itself. Some cells on the bark will be primed to fire if something touches it, while close-by cells will ground the electricity. Something landing would likely touch both and get a nasty big shock as it closes the circuit.

If you truly want a tesla coil/van der Graaf generator it will be much more tricky. The bark must be resistant to electricity, like plastic protecting a wire. Otherwise the tree would just ground to itself. Next it needs to up the voltage to insane amounts. It isn't impossible, as you can get table top versions and create sparks yourself. It'll have only a few exposed parts for the electricity to flow at strategic locations. Then it needs something close-by to close the circuit to the ground. Flying creatures would still have a potential to be safe. You could have it discharge not based on physics of high energy potentials, but 'manually'. This way a bird or animal triggers something in the tree that will let a discharge phase begin. It'll ground via the animal in either itself with strategically placed grounds or into the ground itself. It can potentially change the potential depending on the perceived size of the animal, not using too much overkill on insects.

The tree would have multiple stacks of these electrical cells to have several charges ready, making it more difficult to deplete the tree at one go. It can also have both systems at once, allowing it to fend off both small and big creatures at will. After It'll happily recharge by standing in the sun.

A way to up the metabolism is hidden in DWKraus his answer. Feeding on the insects and other animals can provide a boost to extracting energy. It can have digestion pools or assisting life that will make it easy for the tree to absorb these nutrients, allowing for quicker metabolism, quicker recharge and extra nutrients overall to survive.

Answer 5

Consider the case of the electric eel, which uses modified muscle cells to generate some very high voltages, plus a well insulated nervous system so it doesn't stun itself.

Your Tesla Tree could be an animal that does the same.