why do complex objects made from many rigidbodys jointed together explode on contact intermittently?

example: right now i have a big ol tree, 16 segments all connected to end to end in a line sometimes when i fell the tree when it hits the terrain collider it just explodes like crazy and the various segments fly around the sky. iv seen this before with some other similar things. whats causing this, and is there a good way to fix it? my only guess so far would be that one or more of the segments clip through the ground and the tree is then stuck on either end of the terrain so they wig out. maybe there's a setting in the project's physics settings that may help this? fixed joints all set to not collide with what their connected body. if i cant fix it, i think i can put a high break force for the joints, i think this would stop the explode when it starts. but id rather have infinity break force, and just fix the explode.