Lightning vs. Tree - Who won?

[newcountry]

Wow Fungus!! That's quite a picture! Mine's not near that bad. There's no place where it's girdled.

Thanks for all the input. I think I will get a tree guy (or girl) out here to take a peek. I've got a pretty good area cleared -I need the state forester to come out and take a look anyway.

dmccarty - I'd never considered that insurance would pay, that's interesting. I figured I'd do the dirty work, with some help of course.

I do like the idea of having protection, but I've got lots of trees, just none as close to the house. BTW, on the way to work this morning about a mile from our place there's a beautiful tree I've always admired all by itself in a field and it's got much worse fresh scars - two huge scars down the west side of the trunk. It had a meeting with Mother Nature that night too!!

 

[ToadHill]

I've just retired from my second career as an Arborist. Trees struck by lightning will survive if they still have bark protecting the living tissue on about 2/3 of the tree. It may require some tender loving care over the next few years while the wound forms a "scab" over the area that has had the bark blown off.
I suggest you get an Arborist to look at it. Hire someone who is in the business of treating tree diseases and injurys, not someone who makes his living by taking trees down. An arborist has the ability to determine if the tree is a hazard or if it can be saved, and anyone who hopes to stay in business will make a careful determination.
If I said the tree was not a hazard and it fell in the next year or two, I could be liable for damages. thats why insurance in that business is so high,

 

[SPIKER]

I agree with others, it probably COULD survive but will not have as pleasing apperance, at least 2/3 ~3/4 of them that are hit will die with in a year or so with out intervention of some sort. it is hard to say if you'res is a good canadate or not, from description probably not if there is scaring on Both sides and heavy cracking. I've seen several strikes where trees actually started on fire afterwards. the stragest was an Elm that had 4~5 groves all around the outside from top to bottom peeled out 1" square ribbons of wood laid the ribbons out like a flower. barber pole stripped from the top to the bottom, wish I took a photo of that to show, it died btw and was probably only 100' from my bedroom window where I witnessed the strike hit it.

you can post the question at the forestry forum too.

mark M

 

[newcountry]

Thanks, I will be in contact with someone.

For those who are curious I finally got around to taking some pictures. The ones up high don't come out too good because of the bright sky in the background, but I'll post a few --

This one is higher up in the tree, a little harder to see

[image]http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/3081/sort/1/cat/500/page/1[/image]

 

[newcountry]

Sorry, first time I've tried filing pix. i've got to run but I did put my pix in the photo gallery.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showgallery.php/ppuser/15008/cat/500

I'll attach them later tonight, off to pick my kids up from school!

 

[newcountry]

This is an improvement (evening and flash helped) on the damage up high, about 30 ft up.

 

[newcountry]

one side of the trunk -

 

[newcountry]

Other side of the trunk -

 

[Jagmandave]

After seeing the pics, I'd take it down, it's not that big of a tree.

 

[djradz]

Looks like it'll make good firewood to me! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif