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Lightning Damage

What to do about lightning damage to trees?

Trees with broken tops or branches, or other wounds, are susceptible to invading organisms. A common form of storm damage is broken tops or branches. This can be a serious injury and can even cause tree death, particularly with conifers. A rule of thumb is that if pines have three or more live branches remaining they should survive and recover; otherwise they will die and should be removed. Breakage will seldom kill deciduous trees, but it can result in serious wounds that allow decay to begin. For high value trees, pruning should be done to create a smaller wound surface that will heal quickly.

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