Pine tree info

[debr2k]

Hi
I am new to the board and hope someone can help me. I have a very large pine tree in my back yard, during the last storm here it was struck by lightning. It went in about a 1/4 of the way down from the top. It shot out the inside into my neighbor's yard. Bark peeled off and even landed in my front yard. It has bark peeled at the bottom also. Will this tree live? What should we do about it? I am pretty sure it would hit a house even if only the top portion fell off.

Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks

 

[treeseer]

pictures would help a lot. prognosis largely depends on the amount of bark that was popped off the trunk. most of it is still on the tree-can't tell without tappin on it and listening for a hollow sound.

I looked at a lightning pine just an hour ago--double streaks from top to bottom, beetles moving in jsut days after the hit, top leans over house. I recommended removal, which I seldom have to do. many lightning trees can be saved

Try posting pictures, also use the search function at this site to see previous threads. See the attachment for a protocol on lightning damage treatment.

 

[texasnative]

If the bark has been blown off of the tree, eminent death is very likely.

 

[debr2k]

Hi
Thanks for the input. Here are a few pictures.

Thanks

 

[texasnative]

The injury doesn't look as bad as it sounded in your message, but...even if the tree were to seal off the wound and heal, it will likely leave some wood exposed, and it is going to be weakened considerably. The wood that would be left exposed will begin to succomb to mother nature's cleanup crew (bacteria, fungus, beetles, woodpeckers) and probably termites if the wound reaches to the ground. This could be bad news for the structural integrity of the tree. With that in mind, even if this pine were to live, it might be a hazard. I have seen pines live through a lightning strike and heal nicely, only to have the top blow down after decay set in. And is that about a 15* lean on that tree? I would say remove it and plant a new tree to replace it, but you really should have an arborist come to your house and assess it. JMO Maybe Treeseer will have more insight for you.

 

[treeseer]

Your 2nd pic shows a codominant tearout wound I think; was there a big branch on the ground? that wound is so wide, prognosis seems poor.

Read the fine print on your insurance policy. Call your agent and say you want to have the tree assessed (their $), and if the arborist says it's totalled, tell them that you want replacement value of the tree. Several companies realize that trees add value to the property, and will compensate.

 

[Ekka]

If in doubt ... cut it out!

Keep an eye out for die back and diseases. Besides the visual assessment what is unknow is the internal damage, electricity cooks from the inside out, cells may be deformed and dying, the process can take quite some time.

Have a look at targets nearby, consider if it were to break off etc what the impact would be.

Time will tell but you really need to get an arborist to inspect the damage, and again in 6 and 12 months time if retaining.

 

[treeseer]

If in doubt ... cut it out!

Resolve the doubt, so it keeps growing.
You don't look cool with ignorance showing.

what is unknow is the internal damage, electricity cooks from the inside out, cells may be deformed and dying,

Ekka, lightning typically travels down the outside of the tree. You CAN test for interior damage be inspecting for cracks. No cracks, no inner damage.

you really need to get an arborist to inspect the damage, and again in 6 and 12 months time if retaining.

I agree, but "inspect" means to take a close look at all the injured area, climbing top to bottom. If it's saveable, and many are, you up the odds of survival by treating the injury:

"The blast had torn off a spiraling streak of bark from top to bottom. The arborist saw that the open wound was no more than 12” wide, and tapped the bark on either side of the wound with his rubber mallet to see how much more had been detached from the wood.

The total bark damage at the bottom indicated the tree might be saveable, so the next step was an aerial inspection. He climbed to the top and trimmed away (“traced”) the torn bark on the edges of the wound on his way down. Bark that was sound, yet detached, was stapled back to the wood so it might readhere, shrinking the infection court. (this only works if the inner bark is still moist) The roots on the blasted side were inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi, lightly fertilized, mulched and watered.

The arborist removed two of the damaged lead branches from the crown. He sprayed exposed xylem with eucalyptus oil (or insecticide)to repel opportunistic woodboring insects. Over 2” of scar tissue has grown over the wound in one season, and the oak leafed out fully next spring. During the second growing season the callus thickened remarkably and closed over up to two more inches of the xylem. (after 5 years, a 12" wound closed completely)

How about a closer pic of that big wound on your pine? It looks pretty bad to me. Call your insurance agent yet about replacement value?

 

[Ekka]

Hey Treeseer

In your last post who's pine are you talking about? Like debr2k's pine or another one?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

The second picture shows the worst damage. Pine decays quickly once its exposed like this, and as the tree gets worse, it will get harder to remove. It would be best to have it looked at, but from here it looks like a removal. Definitely talk to your homeowners insurance company.

For the tree to be hazardous though, there needs to be a target. What will the top hit if it falls? What are the chances of somebody being under it when it goes?

 

[treeseer]

The second picture shows the worst damage. Pine decays quickly once its exposed like this, ...talk to your homeowners insurance company.

I'm with Mike on this one--hard to miss that wide wound in pic2. Ekka the article excerpt was about a big oak I worked on years ago, but it's the proptocol I follow on all lightning trees that seem saveable.

O and by "ignorance" I referred to lack of information, not stupidity. But you knew I was not dissing you, right?

 

[Ekka]

No worries Treeseer, ignorance is unknowing and stupid is an inability to know, perhaps intellectually handicapped ... but I was stirring, which can mean rousing ...

Anyway, as usual, good work ... maybe some day we'll cross paths, you are certainly one of a kind. No wonder you are booked out 3 months in advance ...

 

[tenacrewoods]

Treeseer I don't no much about trees but in the last pic there is crack
in trunk the full lenght of the bark peel. Will it not split latter or could
this heal?

 

[Ekka]

Treeseer I don't no much about trees but in the last pic there is crack
in trunk the full lenght of the bark peel. Will it not split latter or could
this heal?

Oh no mate, now you done it ... we are in for a full Codit explanation along with cabling, bracing and bolting this tree till death do us part ...

... and that's after you get the lecture about trees being unable to "heal" themselves.

Phew, well Guy, he's all yours.

 

[debr2k]

Hi
Wow! Thanks for all the information. I have spoken to my insurance agent. We have "tree replacement" on our insurance, but it will only pay $500. Whether the tree is totaled or not.

Thanks Again

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Treeseer I don't no much about trees but in the last pic there is crack
in trunk the full lenght of the bark peel. Will it not split latter or could
this heal?

When lightening strikes a tree, there are different degrees of damage done. Many times the bark will split all the way from where the lightening strikes, to the ground. Injuries like this can "heal" much the same way a frost crack "heals".
In some cases the crack will go much deeper and split the tree all the way through. In these cases, extreme caution needs to be exercised. Even if the tree is strong today, once cracked all the way through, it can start to decay and in time become a hazard.
Still other trees are literally blown apart. When lightening strikes, high voltage is sent through the tree and a huge amount of heat is generated. The moisture in the tree expands and instantly, explosive forces are created.
When this type of damage is done, like what we see in the second picture above, the tree can not survive and is already a hazard to it's surroundings.
Lightening struck trees need to thoroughly inspected initially and monitored carefully with regular inspections in the future.

 

[treeseer]

We have "tree replacement" on our insurance, but it will only pay $500.

This is not realy replacement; may barely cover removal cost. I hope that the deductible does not apply here, right?

 

[debr2k]

Hi
Yes. The deductible of $250 does apply. The insurance co called and will send out a ck for $500.00 max.

We are hoping that will help fray the cost of removal.
Thanks to all for your important information.