# Sycamore struck by lightning



## schoeckk (Oct 30, 2020)

Our Sycamore was struck by lightning and now all of the bark has fallen off and the top of the tree appears to be dead. After the strike I put fertilizer spikes around the base every 3feet, over watered and treated the roots for insects just in case. This is our favorite tree. Does anyone know what our chances for it living are? Any additional suggestions now that winter has arrived? 


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## ElevatorGuy (Oct 30, 2020)

Chances of living? Sounds like it dying...


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## buzz sawyer (Oct 30, 2020)

Pics might help.


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## schoeckk (Oct 30, 2020)

buzz sawyer said:


> Pics might help.



Sent


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## buzz sawyer (Oct 30, 2020)

I agree, excellent looking tree but it doesn't look very promising. If there is no danger of it falling on something or someone, you could wait until Spring and see what it does but again, doesn't look good. 
Looks a little close to the house - any concerns if it falls in high winds?


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## schoeckk (Oct 31, 2020)

buzz sawyer said:


> I agree, excellent looking tree but it doesn't look very promising. If there is no danger of it falling on something or someone, you could wait until Spring and see what it does but again, doesn't look good.
> Looks a little close to the house - any concerns if it falls in high winds?



No if it doesn’t come out ok this spring we will safely have it cut down[emoji22]


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## ElevatorGuy (Oct 31, 2020)

It’s good firewood, it’s heavy though.


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## buzz sawyer (Oct 31, 2020)

schoeckk said:


> No if it doesn’t come out ok this spring we will safely have it cut down[emoji22]
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Agreed, a shame to lose it.


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## Westboastfaller (Nov 10, 2020)

If the other side looks like that side then it's dead. The cambium layer under the bark needs to be attached somewhere around the tree in order for it to feed. It only takes a continuous little sliver of bark and cambium stemming upwards but it may not feed all that foliagel this year.

What I'm looking at so far, it's dead


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## Westboastfaller (Nov 10, 2020)

ElevatorGuy said:


> It’s good firewood, it’s heavy though.


Very consoling.


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## olyman (Nov 11, 2020)

Westboastfaller said:


> Very consoling.


keep your face attached,,and ****...…...


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## Preacher Mike (Nov 28, 2020)

olyman said:


> keep your face attached,,and ****...…...


Are you OK?


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## olyman (Nov 30, 2020)

Preacher Mike said:


> Are you OK?


maybe you should ask that of who I was replying to....a real scag…..


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## lone wolf (Nov 30, 2020)

ElevatorGuy said:


> It’s good firewood, it’s heavy though.


Not good to split.


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## ElevatorGuy (Dec 2, 2020)

lone wolf said:


> Not good to split.


I’ve never split or burned any personally. My tree guy took one down a few houses up from me but I didn’t need the wood. He ended up taking it to my best friend. The only wood I’ve heard him complain about splitting has been hickory.


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## Hickahollar (Aug 20, 2021)

Well I'm a lot late in this but if the tree has survived this year I suspect that it will or has put out lower shoots from the trunk. The top I believe is going to die. The good news is if it is still living by this winter you can cut it in winter and it will send new shoots out from the live part of the tree and they will probably grow 6 feet in the first year keep the one you want. They are fast growing. I cut one down by my house 2 years ago and its come back and 2 shoots are 16 to 20 feet high already. I'm pruning the others and cutting them in about another year so I'll have just the two biggest left and when they get about 8 to 10 inches in diameter I'll cut them for firewood and start over. I coppice my trees for firewood because I only have under an acre for land and I have a fireplace. You coppice after they go dormant.


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