Brass screws

[jayclay]

Does anyone know from experience whether or not brass screws are "poisonous" to trees? Is this a myth. I was told today of a tree which had been hit by a car. Unfortunately, someone in the car died. A memorial plaque was attached to the tree using brass screws, and now the tree is dying. Apparently, some of the guys say that it is the screws that are killing the tree. I don't know anything about the tree, or the site it is in, but I would think it is more likely that the stress from the car accident is only now starting to show its effects on the tree.

I'm not looking for an explanation as to what is killing the tree, I just wondered if there was anything to the brass screw thing.

p.s. I am patiently awaiting the results of my Certified Arborist exam. I wrote in Halifax on November 22nd.

 

[willbranch]

I don't have an answer but I have heard the same about copper nails. I assumed it was a load of crap.

 

[JeffL]

We use copper or brass nails in the installation of lightning protection systems as far as I know. No idea as to whether or not its poisonous?

 

[jayclay]

I thought the same thing about lightning protection, but since we really don't use it here I wasn't sure. I looked it up, and the systems use copper and bronze. I think it is the bronze that is actually nailed/stapled into the tree.

 

[altissimus]

my two cents , in cemeteries and parks I have seen numerous brass plaques attached to trees with brass screws ... I have heard some ex phone company guys mention that copper nails deliberately driven into problem trees caused them to die ... no science here just sharing ...

 

[cerviarborist]

Seems much more likely that the tree would be showing decline from the blunt force trauma of a vehicle hitting it hard enough to kill passengers, than from a few small screws.

 

[jayclay]

That's what I was thinking...By the way, I just found my name in the Certified Arborists list on the ISA website. I haven't received anything in the mail yet, but it feels good to know that I'm Certified.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

There is some phytotoxicity from copper but not from brass as far as I know. The chance of a nail or three in a tree creating enough damage to be noticed is pretty unlikely.

Some copper salt compound is used in the flushable root killers for sewer lines. From my vague chemistry memories I can recall something about the copper being active in a 'salt' form by pretty inert in metallic form.

 

[Jman]

I do remember using a copper compound to keep pot n pot nursery stock from rooting though both containers. We cut a 1'x 1' landscape fabric and sprayed said copper based compound on it. I wouldn't take that as gospel though.

 

[Jeff_Cochran]

i use copper to make sweetgums reduce fruit production by 2/3s in three years with no visible decline in tree health.

 

[Jeff_Cochran]

i have also used copper sulfate as a fungicide

 

[Kevin]

They use copper strips on roof tops to kill moss growth on shingles.

 

[brendonv]

The car ripping off the bark is probably the cause of the death, or if it caught on fire, boiling the cambium.

I've heard the nail thing, never saw it. LP systems use copper, and I've seen some old LP systems on perfect trees.

 

[southsoundtree]

[ QUOTE ]
They use copper strips on roof tops to kill moss growth on shingles.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've only seen zinc. Copper, too?

 

[Kevin]

I had a friend install it on his roof, I thought he said copper but it could have been zinc, I'll ask him.

 

[JJackson]

Good luck on your arb exam. Nice to see a certified arborist taking care of the trees near my hometown (Grand Bay).

 

[tcsafety]

jayclay - congrats on your arborist exam! It will serve you well.

I also think it was probably more the impact of the car than the screws.