Imitation bark board for the support of climbing plants

Claim 1

An imitation bark board member for the support of climbing ornamental plants and the like comprising, in combination, an integrally formed, elongated, substantially rectangular body portion, one side of said body portion having a three-dimensional surface texture simulating the texture of natural wood bark, and interlock means for removably interfittingly connecting a plurality of the imitation bark board members in end-to-end relation, said interlock means comprising a pair of prongs extending outwardly of one end of said body portion and a pair of sockets at the other end of said body portion, said prongs of one of the bark board members being receivable one each in the sockets of another bark board member, means for removably interconnecting a plurality of the bark board members along abutting longitudinal edge portions thereof, said longitudinal edge interconnecting means comprising a circular bead formed along one edge of said body portion and a recess of semi-circular cross-sectional configuration formed along the other longitudinal edge of said body portion, said body portion being of arcuate transverse cross-sectional shape and formed with a plurality of uniformly spaced, circular protuberances serving as anchoring means for the tendrils of climbing plants, said recess of semi-circular cross-sectional configuration being open to the other side of said substantially rectangular body portion to permit a pair of the bark board members to be interconnected back-to-back along their opposing longitudinal edge portions.