Purdue Extension Service

Vanderburgh County, Indiana

Can This Tree Be Saved?

By Larry Caplan, Extension Horticulture Educator, Vanderburgh County, IN

For the Evansville Courier and Press, February 15, 2009

We are now in the post-storm stage of recovery where the big question on most people's lips is "Can this tree be saved?" I often turn the question around, and ask "SHOULD this tree be saved?"

Any tree with more than half of its limbs torn off should be removed. The amount of internal wood decay, and the great possibility of undesirable regrowth (suckering) make this tree more likely to be damaged again in a future storm.

Certain species of trees are not worth saving. These would be the soft-wooded species, or the species with poor limb structure, which seem to break up every time we have a storm. This would include trees like silver maples, pin oaks, honey locust, and Bradford pears. (About the only good thing that came out of this ice storm is that we are one step closer to seeing Bradford pears become extinct.)

Look at the type of wounds that remain on the tree. If the main trunk is cracked or split, it cannot be repaired. If a limb tore a wide strip of bark down the side of the trunk, the underlying wood will almost certainly begin to decay long before the tree can seal off the wound.

Examine the remaining limbs in the canopy. Branches that form wide, U-shaped junctions with the trunk are the sturdiest, while narrow, V-shaped junctions are extremely weak and very prone to tearing off in storms. If the tree had been topped in the past or had other previous wounds, it will undoubtedly continue to rip apart in the future.

Look below the tree, and see if there are any valuable targets for the tree to land on. If you have a limb hanging over your roof, and you have any of the undesirable factors mentioned above, you may certainly want that limb removed; and if that's the only limb left, it might be most prudent to remove the tree completely. On the other hand, a tree way out in the yard that won't land on anything (including phone and electric lines) can probably be left alone; just don't stand under it during the next storm!

There's a lot of guys roaming the streets right now, looking to trim trees. Be sure you check for their Evansville tree trimmer's license (required within the city limits of Evansville) and insurance information before hiring them. If you have a tree that needs to be removed, any of these licensed trimmers with the proper equipment (bucket trucks, tie-in ropes, etc.) can do the job. But if you are trying to save a tree, you will want to look for someone local, who's been pruning trees for years and can provide you with a list of local satisfied customers.

For more information on recovering from the ice storm, including a list of trimmers with an Evansville tree license, contact the Purdue Extension office at 812-435-5287.