newt
ArboristSite Lurker
Last year I posted a question about our 48" diameter 100' tall catalpa tree on which an entire limb just suddenly died on an otherwise healthy looking tree. It turns out that the town owns the tree, so I called the tree warden. He came out when we were on vacation and spray painted a big orange letter P on it and attached a metal tag with a number to the trunk. I am curious about the metal tag, but here is what is going on with the tree.
The road crews were out pruning and removing whole trees on my road, and when they got close to my house (I often work at home in my shop) I went over and talked to the guys. Turns out I knew one of them and we talked about the tree for some time. It was early winter and no leaves were on the tree and it doesn't approach any utility wires so they stopped trimming at the last tree before the catalpa and have not been back. I had showed him the dead limb, but apparently they decided to just leave it for now. Here is the kicker.
The limb is sprouting new growth, but not from the twigs etc. where the leaves used to be, but right out of the sides of the main limbs, like little suckers or something. All of the branches and twigs that had leaves last year are still bare, but hundreds of leaves are growing right out of the sides of the main limb and secondary limbs. Would anybody know if this limb is likely to survive? If so, I'm glad they didn't cut it off, this is a very grand and well shaped tree. A bit messy as you all know, but when its in full bloom it is magnificent. Last year it was in full bloom by this time but is only starting to show buds now, we've had a very cool spring and everything is kinda late.
The road crews were out pruning and removing whole trees on my road, and when they got close to my house (I often work at home in my shop) I went over and talked to the guys. Turns out I knew one of them and we talked about the tree for some time. It was early winter and no leaves were on the tree and it doesn't approach any utility wires so they stopped trimming at the last tree before the catalpa and have not been back. I had showed him the dead limb, but apparently they decided to just leave it for now. Here is the kicker.
The limb is sprouting new growth, but not from the twigs etc. where the leaves used to be, but right out of the sides of the main limbs, like little suckers or something. All of the branches and twigs that had leaves last year are still bare, but hundreds of leaves are growing right out of the sides of the main limb and secondary limbs. Would anybody know if this limb is likely to survive? If so, I'm glad they didn't cut it off, this is a very grand and well shaped tree. A bit messy as you all know, but when its in full bloom it is magnificent. Last year it was in full bloom by this time but is only starting to show buds now, we've had a very cool spring and everything is kinda late.
