White ash question

[Mr. Woods]

I have a white ash that splits into two trunks just above ground level.
One trunk is 6 inches from the house and the other grows the other way. The one near the house is about 9 inches at the base while the other trunk is about 12 inches at the base.
My question is this... how will the tree respsond to having the smaller trunk removed? Will the wound rot out and kill the tree entirely?

The tree is healthy. The only issue is it's rubbing the eaves.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated. (reps are ready ;-)

 

[komatsuvarna]

Im not familiar with ash, but i did do a poplar like that at my house about 2 years ago and it is fine today. I cut about a 6 inch fork off of a 20/24 inch tree. I guess there is a real good possibility that it will rot out one day, but it hasent yet.

 

[ATH]

Opening a wound that large will likely result in a decaying area. Will that "kill the tree"? Not directly... It will decay/weaken it to a point where it is hazardous then it will fall over several years later, so technically yes that cut MAY "kill" the tree... That is probably many years down the road.

If the other choice is total removal, I'd remove the one trunk and keep a close eye on it (possibly even have professional evaluate it every couple of years after the first 5-8 years). Once it starts to become questionable, remove it. That can give you many years of further enjoyment from the tree.

It will certainly be alive long enough for Emerald Ash Borer to kill it before it rots out!

 

[Mr. Woods]

Thanks

Thanks ATH. That's what I thought, but wanted to get a pro opinion.
We are going to remove the offending side and pay attention to it as time passes.

 

[rarefish383]

A picture would help on this one. Is the lead toward the house actually part of the other lead, or 2 seperate leads growing real close together? At this point, the trees are growing fast enough that if the lead to be removed is coming off the good one, it could be removed and the remaining trunk will grow around it completly. Cut at a slope, so water will not sit on it, it could be completly included, healed over, before it rots. The thing is you'll have a tree that will get 2ft across only a few inches from the house, that's too close. With the threat of the EAB killing it anyway, I'd remove both while it's a small job. Plant a new tree a liitle farther out from the house to take it's place. Good luck, Joe.

 

[treeseer]

Cabling to lessen movement and rubbing is another option.

EAB may get there; may not.