Problem with Windswept Procedural tree

I am new to Unity and trying my first project. In the project I need a specific type of windswept tree that players climb so I want the tree as realistic as possible. The Unity-generated tree produces square branches for the smaller ones. I wanted something more realistic. I grabbed "Procedural Tree" (https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/32907) from the asset store. It makes nice trees, round branches,... but not windswept. I went into the code and tried to modify the rotations to preferentially have the limbs bend in a specific world direction. I can't seem to get the rotations correct. I can bend the branches but the orthogonal rings don't rotate (the branches turn inside out) or I can bend them in the local system and get corkscrew trees - interesting but not what I need. I have never worked with quaternions so that it where I am messed up.

It is clear that my use of transform.InverseTransformDirection is incorrect. I have tried it using quaternions instead of vector components, rotating the quaternion toward an object. switching the entire code to vectors,... not having much luck. I have contacted wasabimole who wrote the code a couple of times but haven't heard back from them.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. What I need are suggestions on the best and simplest way to do this and hints to understand what is happening so I can do it myself in the future.

Thank you in advance.

The recursive branch code with my modifications is:

 // Add ring vertices
 for (var n = 0; n <= NumberOfSides; n++, ang += angInc) 
 {
     var r = ringShape[n] * radius;
     offset.x = r * Mathf.Cos(ang); // Get X, Z vertex offsets
     offset.z = r * Mathf.Sin(ang);
     vertexList.Add(position + quaternion * offset); // Add Vertex position
     uvList.Add(texCoord); // Add UV coord
     texCoord.x += textureStepU;
 }
 
 if (lastRingVertexIndex >= 0) // After first base ring is added ...
 {
     // Create new branch segment quads, between last two vertex rings
     for (var currentRingVertexIndex = vertexList.Count - NumberOfSides - 1; currentRingVertexIndex < vertexList.Count - 1; currentRingVertexIndex++, lastRingVertexIndex++) 
     {
         triangleList.Add(lastRingVertexIndex + 1); // Triangle A
         triangleList.Add(lastRingVertexIndex);
         triangleList.Add(currentRingVertexIndex);
         triangleList.Add(currentRingVertexIndex); // Triangle B
         triangleList.Add(currentRingVertexIndex + 1);
         triangleList.Add(lastRingVertexIndex + 1);
     }
 }
 
 // Do we end current branch?
 radius *= RadiusStep;
 if (radius < MinimumRadius || vertexList.Count + NumberOfSides >= MaxNumVertices + 65000) // End branch if reached minimum radius, or ran out of vertices
 {
     // Create a cap for ending the branch
     vertexList.Add(position); // Add central vertex
     uvList.Add(texCoord + Vector2.one); // Twist UVs to get rings effect
     for (var n = vertexList.Count - NumberOfSides - 2; n < vertexList.Count - 2; n++) // Add cap
     {
         triangleList.Add(n);
         triangleList.Add(vertexList.Count - 1);
         triangleList.Add(n + 1);
     }
     return; 
 }
 
 // Code added for windswept tree
 var x = (transform.InverseTransformDirection(0f,0f,1f).x);
 var y = (transform.InverseTransformDirection(0f,0f,1f).y);
 var z = (transform.InverseTransformDirection(0f,0f,1f).z);
 position += quaternion * new Vector3(x, (y + SegmentLength * Mathf.Sqrt (Mathf.Sqrt(radius))), z);
 transform.Rotate(x, y, z);
 // Code added for windswept tree


 x += (Random.value - 0.5f) * Twisting;
 y += 0f;
 z += (Random.value - 0.5f) * Twisting;
 
 transform.Rotate(x, y, z);
 
 // Continue current branch (randomizing the angle)
 texCoordV += 0.0625f * (SegmentLength + SegmentLength / radius);
 
 lastRingVertexIndex = vertexList.Count - NumberOfSides - 1;
 Branch(transform.rotation, position, lastRingVertexIndex, radius, texCoordV); // Next segment
 
 // Do we branch?
 if (vertexList.Count + NumberOfSides >= MaxNumVertices || Random.value > BranchProbability) return;
 
 // Yes, add a new branch
 transform.rotation = quaternion;
 x = Random.value * 70f - 35f;
 x += x > 0 ? 10f : -10f;
 y = 0f;
 z = Random.value * 70f - 35f;
 z += z > 0 ? 10f : -10f;
 transform.Rotate(x, 0f, z);
 
 Branch(transform.rotation, position, lastRingVertexIndex, radius, texCoordV);

}