i want to do a tree that stands on a cake. i want a realistic tree bark and limb..any ideas on the core structure?

I was asked to make a small tree with butterflies on it that the person could keep.

I took a 4" white Wilton column, wrapped it with thick floral wire, creating branches of wrapped wire as I went. After I got a shape I liked, I covered it all with brown gum paste. I used tool to make it look like bark.

The gum paste was a good surface for me to stick the gum paste butterlies on to. I was able to put a dowel into the cake that stuck about 3/4ths of the way up the center of the column, too, so it was nice and stable while on display.

There are tons of options--modeling chocolate, fondant, etc. Depends on if you need it to be completely edible, too.

Rae