From the wind, rain, and lightning, we’ve seen limbs and branches litter the lawns and even streets around our home. Here’s exactly what happens to trees after they’ve been struck by lightning.
It’s really a no brainer that severe weather can have lasting and damaging effects on trees. We’ve even seen the end results around our neighborhoods after a thunderstorm has rolled through. From the wind, rain, and lightning, we’ve seen limbs and branches litter the lawns and even streets around our home. Here’s exactly what happens to trees after they’ve been struck by lightning.
Damaged Roots
When we think of lightning strikes, we usually think of how they affect cars, homes, and trees in open areas. Particularly on trees, we expect to see charred bark and split or broken branches but often, not all the damage will be immediately evident. In the days after a storm, check the leaves on your tree for wilting. If it’s present, that may be a sign that lightning has caused damage to your tree’s root system. The electrical current from the lightning will pass through the trunk of the tree and into the roots and could eventually lead to the death of the tree. After a storm, make sure that your trees are fed with adequate water and fertilizer to help it recover from the damage.
Bark and Leaves
The more obvious effects from a lightning strike will show up on the leaves and bark of the tree. Do a visual inspection of your tree to determine whether the damage is extensive or superficial and then treat the damage accordingly. Wilted leaves come as a result of the lightning interrupting the tree’s natural water distribution. Something else that happens to the tree upon a lightning strike is a bend and bounce back. This rapid movement is what splits the bark and could even split the tree open or break branches. To be safe, prune the damaged branches and limbs on your tree to thwart more damage to the tree and your surrounding property. Effective pruning will also help the tree recover. If you find that it seems too dangerous to do on your own or you’d like a second opinion about the damage that your tree has suffered, call professionals to assess the damage and offer solutions.
Cleanup from Nelson Tree Specialist!
Nelson Tree Specialist provides specialty arborist services, tree crane services, tree care services, and dead tree removal services. We are well known for our top-notch skills and professionalism. We are members of the International Society of Arboriculture and we are considered certified arborists. We are also an accredited business through the Better Business Bureau and we have great reviews through Angie’s List. To find out how we can help your trees, whether they are exotic and strange or normal and plan, give us a call at (301) 854-2218 (Washington, D.C.) or (202) 909-5662 (Baltimore) or visit us online. For more interesting tree facts and tips, follow us on social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.