Lightning damage yesterday
- Thread starter Glenn9643
- Start date
- Views: 1577
BillyP
Veteran Member
I have a BIG sweet gum tree that was hit by lightning, probably 20 years ago. It looked pretty much like your oak. It had a streak of bark (about 4 to 8" wide) knocked off from the top to the bottom. It's still living and growing.
Time will tell...
Time will tell...
Cliff_Johns
Elite Member
We have one maple that gets a slice taken out of it about every three years. It heals up just fine. Our red oak blew out a chuck where the bolt burst from the tree and arced to our house. That tree didn't seem to mind either, though it smoaked up our house a bit and melted some insulation. Both these trees are old and well over 24" at the base. Smaller trees may not take the hit so well, but they are less likely to get hit too.
Cliff
Cliff
gotrocks
Platinum Member
We have a pecan in the backyard. Got a hit back in the 60's and it is still living, with a dead hollow center. Hope your oak makes it. I would not cut it down until all the leaves dropped off.
Then I'd assume it had kicked the bucket. Firewood for sale. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Then I'd assume it had kicked the bucket. Firewood for sale. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
jinman
Rest in Peace
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2001
- Messages
- 21,059
- Location
- Texas - Wise County - Sunset
- Tractor
- NHTC45D, NH LB75B, Ford Jubilee
I hope your tree survives, Glenn. My neighbor had a postoak hit by lightning. It was in the middle of a clearing in his woods about 150' in diameter. The darn tree exploded and there were bits and pieces spread all over that clearing. Nothing was left of the tree except a jagged 8' stump. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Junkman
Super Member
I had a large hemlock struck like that and it was dead the next year. Didn't care much for softwoods that drop needles, so it wasn't a big deal. Just wait it out and time will tell. Sometimes the least damaged ones are the ones that don't make it and the most severely struck, seem not to mind. Only time will tell. If it does die, let it stand for an additional year and then cut it. It is easier to burn if you allow it to be standing dead wood for a year or two. I know of a fellow that lost a big oak and he would cut branches from the tree and burn them each year until the tree was just a pole. Then he cut it completely. Said that it was easier that way than stacking a complete tree as firewood. He had the luxury of have a friend with a bucket truck to cut from....
Nasty135
Veteran Member
Glenn9643, I had a very large 80+ ft. high double trunked tulip poplar tree struck with lighting about 4 or 5 yrs. ago ,But originally I didn't know it was struck because there was no visible signs,later on way up in the tree about 50' it looked like there was a stripe of missing bark. I basically dismissed it as nothing and forgot about it ,well every year after that there was less and less foliage at the top of the tree(now mind you this tree was going to be the built in a/c for my barn building).So after finishing my building one beatiful spring day I go to paint the front door of the barn when all of sudden all these flying insects start getting stuck in my fresh paint /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif..Well after tracing the flight path of winged insects it turns out they were coming out of my precious tulip poplar tree /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Thankfully the insects were just ants but, the tree according to everyone I spoke to was a goner. I had to have it cut down /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I just finished splitting the last of the wood this winter... But the stripe I first spoke of , by the third year was about 6" wide and bark was falling of the tree in that area. I miss that big ole tree,It was some how comforting to hear those leaves blowing in the breeze on a nice cool morning
After it had been cut down the stump which was 6' across had about 30" or more that was gone in the middle(rotted)and probably about 6' high..
So I hope your tree will survive ,I wish mine would have,who knows if I would have let it go another year or two? Picture is of tree behind barn on left,notice less foliage than other trees around it
After it had been cut down the stump which was 6' across had about 30" or more that was gone in the middle(rotted)and probably about 6' high..
So I hope your tree will survive ,I wish mine would have,who knows if I would have let it go another year or two? Picture is of tree behind barn on left,notice less foliage than other trees around it
Attachments
Junkman
Super Member
Re: Lightning damage yesterday *DELETED*
Post deleted by Junkman
Post deleted by Junkman
Nasty135
Veteran Member
Junkman, You are right about that.It did have some sizable dead branches that were looking shaky too begin with..
TheKid
Gold Member
From your pictures it looks like yours will make it. When my big oak got hit a few years back it blew about 75% of the bark loose at the base of the tree. It was dead in 6 months. When it got hit the cicadas were out in force and I had about 2" of dead bugs laying on the ground under the tree.
polecat
Platinum Member
I have a guy that is disabled that is as of yesterday gonna use me to cut down all of his ddddangerous tree jobs..most even though above camps only take me 2 hrs max..but he showed me the largest birch i have ever seen in my lif ..was hit years ago and the top is still alive and the butt is showin serious signs of decay from the outside in!!!will git pics of it and a huge double hemlock thats bout 80' that has to come down this week.....lightnin is a treacherous thing and i really think that yer tree will suffer long term death..th lightning follows the cambium layer wich is the lifeblood of a tree..any significant damage to it will cut off the supply of water and nutrients to all limbs involved...hence longterm death and a way in for insects ...it should last a few years but this is like a cancer for any tree /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif..all depends on how much of the cambium layer is fried...what has the weather been like down there in the past month in a half??? the drier the better....sorry but yer tree dude /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
jist hope for the best is all u can do!!!!
jist hope for the best is all u can do!!!!
Poncho
Gold Member
Glenn... ifeel your pain. I had a live oak that is the center our our circular drive way that was struck a couple of years ago.... I'm hoping for the best, but am afraid as polecat said... a slow death /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. The entrance to our house was designed around this tree... and without it we would be devastated.
