Hi all,
A local tree expert suggested that I post some pictures of my box elder on this site just to confirm his assessment that there are no safe/viable options for us to preserve the tree in question. Briefly, it is a 28" diameter Box Elder, probably 60'+ tall. It has seen better days, but it's dear to us and key to the privacy and wooded canopy feel for that portion of our lot. The tree has had some old wounds and dead wood but appeared to be plugging along reasonably well until our severe windstorm this past Friday. During the storm, it sustained a 8'+ crack/split in one of the major trunks.
Is there any way to save the tree? We've been advised that
It is close to the house (though leaning away from it) and also near our swing set. I understand that box elders are "junk" trees, soft wood, and not known for their longevity. But, it's one of our larger trees, and we hate to lose it. Even if we could get 10 or 15 more years out of the tree, that would be great as it would give us time to plant some replacements in a grassy area behind it.
Thanks in advance for any advice or feedback. The yellow level in some of the photos is 24" long. The swing set it 8' tall. If things upload well, the five photos should be reasonably high resolution (zoomable).
Regards,
Bryan
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A local tree expert suggested that I post some pictures of my box elder on this site just to confirm his assessment that there are no safe/viable options for us to preserve the tree in question. Briefly, it is a 28" diameter Box Elder, probably 60'+ tall. It has seen better days, but it's dear to us and key to the privacy and wooded canopy feel for that portion of our lot. The tree has had some old wounds and dead wood but appeared to be plugging along reasonably well until our severe windstorm this past Friday. During the storm, it sustained a 8'+ crack/split in one of the major trunks.
Is there any way to save the tree? We've been advised that
- There is no practical way to save the trunk in question and that the tree is not really worth preserving by the time we have that trunk removed
- Cabling the split limb would not be safe
- Trimming the damaged limb/trunk and leaving the remainder of the tree in light of the likely rot and dead wood isn't worth doing
It is close to the house (though leaning away from it) and also near our swing set. I understand that box elders are "junk" trees, soft wood, and not known for their longevity. But, it's one of our larger trees, and we hate to lose it. Even if we could get 10 or 15 more years out of the tree, that would be great as it would give us time to plant some replacements in a grassy area behind it.
Thanks in advance for any advice or feedback. The yellow level in some of the photos is 24" long. The swing set it 8' tall. If things upload well, the five photos should be reasonably high resolution (zoomable).
Regards,
Bryan
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