Replacing Storm Damaged Trees

There is not much good that can be said about December’s ice storm. People were often without power for days, and there was extensive tree damage. But there were things to be grateful for. This storm was not accompanied by high winds, or damage would have been much, much worse. Also, a storm such as this can teach us which trees are strong and which aren’t.

The “poster child” for storm damage had to be Siberian elm (often incorrectly called Chinese elm). Many Siberian elms were damaged to the point that the trees will need to be removed. However, many other tree species (and varieties) survived the storm quite well.

Trees with least damage: Bald Cypress, Chinese Pistache, Ginkgo, Goldenraintree, Honeylocust, Kentucky Coffeetree, Lindens, Crabapples, Amur Maple, Autumn Blaze Maple, Red Maple, Sugar Maple, Shantung Maple, Red Oak, Bur Oak, Swamp White Oak, Osage Orange, Aristocrat Pear, Chanticleer Pear, Redbud, Sweet Gum, London Planetree, Zelkova, Austrian Pine, and Sycamore.

There were also trees that didn’t fare as well. Trees with the most damage: Siberian Elm, River Birch, Bradford Pear, Willows and Austree, Russian Olive, and Silver Maple. Let me make a few comments regarding some of the trees listed. Though bald cypress is on the “least damaged” list, I did see some trees with the central leader broken. Bald cypress is deciduous and drops its needles in the fall. However, the central leader of many trees still had foliage that hadn’t dropped. This foliage held enough ice to break the central leaders in some trees.

Notice also that Aristocrat and Chanticleer pear are on the “least damaged” list but Bradford Pear is on our “most damaged” list. Though all these trees are Callery pears, Bradford is an older variety that is known for its’ weak branch attachment and often breaks up during wind and ice storms. Aristocrat and Chanticleer have a similar shape and other desirable characteristics of Bradford but with stronger branching structure.

There are also contributing factors that will cause trees to be more susceptible to damage. These include the following:
* Trees not pruned in the past
* Older trees broke more than younger trees
* Declining trees
* Trees previously topped
* Trees still holding winter leaves or seedpods
* Trees with many fine-textured branches
Trees are a long-term investment and choosing those that will stand up to the often challenging conditions of Kansas is vital for seeing that investment pay off.
--Ward Uphan, Kansas State Research and Extension Horticulture Newsletter, January 9, 2008