With spring just around the corner, many of us are beginning to think about sunshine and warmer temperatures. However, another thing many homeowners need to think about are thunderstorms. While these storms may look pretty, and bring much needed rain, they can also be extremely dangerous for trees.
Around the world, there are roughly a million lightning strikes per day. If one of these strikes happens to hit your tree, what should your next step be? Well, that answer depends upon how much damage your tree has sustained.
First, you should inspect your tree for damage such as broken or hanging branches; you will want to have these removed as soon as possible. You will then want to reach out to have your tree inspected. Lightning damage can often be tricky, as lightning often strikes the interior of the tree, specifically the layer under the bark that we are unable to see. Your tree may look completely fine, from the outside, but be damaged and slowly begin to decline over the following weeks, months or years. There are times that lightning damage may be more visible:
• Cracks in the trunk
• Charred areas of bark
• Large pieces of bark missing from the tree
• Wilted or thinning leaves in the crown
While lightning can cause stress and damage to your tree, it does not mean that your tree will die. Often trees can overcome lightning damage and go on to be perfectly healthy; these factors include – age, health, what kind of tree it is and even its location. It is typically thought that trees that have only been struck on one side have a higher chance of survival. If you notice that your tree has been damaged, you will want to have it inspected, as cracks and slits are a perfect entrance into your tree for bugs and insects to invade and cause further damage or disease.
If you think your tree has sustained lightning damage, call our team at Dan’s Tree Service. We look forward to assessing your tree and helping it to live a long, healthy life. We pride ourselves in providing high-quality tree cutting, trimming, and removal and residential/commercial landscaping in the Brookfield, Elm Grove, Pewaukee, Delafield, New Berlin, Waukesha, Hales Corners, Franklin, Greenfield, Greendale, West Allis, and Big Bend areas. Call us today!