It seems all the trees i've planted so far (about 7) have grown to be just a bit smaller than forest tree size, then seem to just stop growing. It doesn't seem to be because of stunting because they are far from other items. Is this a bug or is it intended?
intended. You need to wait for the server to send a decay hit, like any item normally decays when the tree 'decays' it will reach full growth. Do not chop your trees until they do or you will get a few measly blocks and no logs.
Well what is this that I can't see With ice cold hands takin' hold of me Well I am death, none can excel -Ralph Stanley, O Death!
I must correct Chak, though: you will get logs if you cut trees in second to last stage, but you'll get less of them (1 vs 2 when full grown for firs).
quasi/semi/pseudo random... I believe there i an upper limit to how long a tile can go without being hit by the decay function, wheras with a random algorithm it's possible for a tile to never be hit ever.