Does this old damage justify removing limbs?

[Winchman]

The two limbs on a longleaf pine look healthy otherwise, but they're close to where the HOs park. Does this old damage weaken them enough to justify removing them?


It's the upper and lower of these three limbs about fifty feet up.

 

[SeanRuel]

I'd leave em but don't have experience with longleaf pine. Looks similar to the red pine we have around, those have very strong flexible branches and wounds are so pitch soaked they're basically rot proof

 

[Winchman]

It sorta looks like both places started out with two small limbs close together one above the other. The lower one grew around the upper one, killing it in the process. What's there now may be a perfectly good live limb wrapped around the remains of a dead limb. I've never seen anything like this before.

 

[Stumpsprouts]

Let ‘em work let ‘em live. Long leaf is strong IME.

 

[Chris Schultz]

I can’t tell if there is any targets underneath, but I’d say leave them be regardless…..

 

[cerviarborist]

You've got nice ribs of wound wood forming along the margins of the wounds. Given time those wounds may become totally occluded, in the meantime they've been substantially reinforced.

 

[evo]

I have no point of reference on area or species but it looks like a hard pine. Maybe a little reduction and thinning on the tips if it’s in a wind/snow exposed location

 

[Winchman]

Thanks for the replies. Wind is a concern, but snow/ice isn't. HOs are leaning toward removal of all three limbs in the picture to get a more balanced look to the canopy and fewer cones, but have left it up to me. Being less concerned about the condition gives me more options.

I'll start with trimming on the lower one to see how that looks. I doubt removal of all three will make much difference in cone production, so it's all about looks now. Getting that big hanging dead limb down sure improved the looks.

Thanks again.

 

[Stumpsprouts]

Thanks for the replies. Wind is a concern, but snow/ice isn't. HOs are leaning toward removal of all three limbs in the picture to get a more balanced look to the canopy and fewer cones, but have left it up to me. Being less concerned about the condition gives me more options.

I'll start with trimming on the lower one to see how that looks. I doubt removal of all three will make much difference in cone production, so it's all about looks now. Getting that big hanging dead limb down sure improved the looks.

Thanks again.

Removal of limbs will probably just create more hazard down the line- additional wind load to the next whorl of branches- contributing towards liontailing making the tree more top heavy overall- they are leaving it up to you, so flex your knowledge and experience and tell them what the actual level of risk is with leaving the branches.. which is very little.

9 times out of 10 the actual tree risk in a property isn’t even the one they called you in for but some other tree they didn’t see. Take a close look around.

 

[Tuebor]

Remove the target before removing the tree. Tell the homeowners to park somewhere else.

 

[Vicente]

9 times out of 10 the actual tree risk in a property isn’t even the one they called you in for but some other tree they didn’t see. Take a close look around.

Just had that happen last week the lady wanted a few smaller pines removed, she had a couple huge widow makers that were unnoticed near the house about 60 ft up, then there was also about a 12" dbh heavy leaning dead oak over her power drop.