Sycamore needs some TLC

[resident86]

Hi guys. I posted almost nine years ago about my poor sycamore that was walloped in Hurricane Dennis (thread here: http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/sycamore-damaged-in-hurricane.23406/ )

Unfortunately, I lacked internet/power after I made the post plus all the craziness of house restoration, clean up, and school caused me to never come back and ask addition questions.

The family had to spend a lot of money on repairing the house and actually, even nine years later, repairs are ongoing due to some insurance snafus. Point is, we had to put off handling the tree, outside of emergency trimming.

It's been a stressful couple of years for this tree and I don't know if it's gotten out of hand or what. I'm currently taking estimates on trimming the darn thing. Lifting the canopy off of the roof is a given, but it's the very top of the tree that has me concerned.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y39/threefortytwoam/syca_zps9a5e71ee.jpg <--- is a distance full shot of the tree. (center of frame, of course) What has me concerned is the big ol' limb shooting out in the top-left of the tree. Obviously it was the center/right limbs that crashed into the house nine years ago. We really, really want to take that limb down because another hurricane will probably take it down. (Besides, there is a pattern of major damage happening to this poor tree every ten years and we are running out of time, haha.)

My main questions are...

- is taking out this limb a smart idea?
- If so, how far should it be trimmed back?
- If not, should we do anything to the tree at all?

(P.S. Is this really a sycamore? I always thought it was an American Sycamore, but some guy I had give me an estimate said it was some sort of maple. None of them can give me any sort of advice on what really should be done about the top.)

 

[Raintree]

It's is a Sycamore, it's best to let the damaged lower crown grow & catch up to the undamaged higher crown. If you are concerned about hurricanes a big sycamore is not the tree to have close to the house.

 

[resident86]

It's is a Sycamore, it's best to let the damaged lower crown grow & catch up to the undamaged higher crown. If you are concerned about hurricanes a big sycamore is not the tree to have close to the house.

Well, it's not like I can have a healthy (if troubled) tree cut down, so I'm just trying to take care of it and at the same time, I'd like it if the tree won't try to kill me every time a cat. 3 storm or greater blows through.

Having a big limb sticking up like that strikes me as making the tree vulnerable. I had a "certified arborist" come and look at it but he told me the tree was 100 years old when it is about half that age (according to neighbors, it was planted in the 70s as a shade tree) so I don't trust him to work on it. And he did talk about reducing that limb.

Could I have it cut back and not completely taken off? It seems, though, that the tree is just growing so widely. I just don't know what to do with it anymore.

I worry about stressing the tree because it really has had a rough couple of years - struck by lightning two years ago, too much rain, too little rain, extreme cold, etc. This year, it seems to be growing very well, if all the bark it has been shedding is any indicator.

 

[Raintree]

Sure you can have the the upper canopy reduced, multiple small cuts can get the job done. No need to make large leader cuts. Be careful of guys running around calling your tree a maple & 100 years old. Also anyone who will guarantee the tree wont fail in a cat 3 storm, you have to assume the risk. If you are willing to fund a long term maintenance program. Every tree years have a real arborist prune & reduce the canopy, your tree is a good candidate for a growth regulator application, also done every tree years.

 

[treeseer]

Obviously the big limb needs reduction to bring it back within the outline of the rest of the crown. In a mature tree, reduction pruning seldom requires any more future maintenance than usual. It's been left alone for 9 years; how would it now need pruning every 3? Has this theory ever been borne out in practice?

pm me for an estimate if you want; I get to FL now and then, and/or could refer a local.