Lightning strikes thousands of times per day. Every bolt threatens a nearby tree. Sometimes, a tree struck by lightning suffers tremendously after a storm.
Lightning damages to the point tree removal are necessary for safety reasons. Below is some information regarding lightning-struck trees.
My Tree was Struck by Lightning. What Do I Do Next?
First, take off any broken or dangling limbs right away. If they are too big for you to get rid of on your own, contact a professional tree care company to do the work.
Visible damage after a lightning strike
Clues Lightning Hit a Tree
The complicated fact regarding lightning damage is that it can be inconspicuous. Lightning hits a tree’s interior, aiming at a layer beneath the bark that you can’t see. Therefore, it is not unusual for a tree to look normal as it is slowing dying.
Though, the inside damage does affect the outside of the tree. Lighting damage can appear as:
- Hunks of bark stripped from the tree
- Wilted leaves
- Burnt spots on the bark
- A crack that goes down the tree trunk
Does Lightning Kill a Tree?
Not really. Some trees can prevail over being struck by lightning. However, the survival of your tree depends on its age, location, and health. Your tree might not have died from a lightning struck. Though, being hit does leave it vulnerable to being a way for insects to come in and weaken the tree in the long run.
Protecting Your Tree from Lightning Damage
Some TLC goes a long way both before and after lightning damage. Be sure your tree is watered excellently, trimmed, fertilized, and mulched. These things keep your tree sturdy before the storm, as well as aiding it in the recovery process.
A lightning protection system is a tree’s top defense against deadly bolts. The system redirects lightning away from the tree by giving it another path to the ground. Remember that no system is 100% fail safe to stopping damage. Contact us at Durham Tree Service if you are considering getting a lightning protection system installed.
