lightning struck honey locust

[Norm_Hall]

We got a call today, from the Chicago Botanic Garden, after a thunderstorm to remove a lightning stuck honey locust. This tree was blown apart.

 

[Norm_Hall]

Close up of first branch unions.

 

[Norm_Hall]

We were able remove the trunk in chipable sections, it was split down to the ground.

 

[Norm_Hall]

What was very unique, was the center (about 1" dia.) was split apart exposing some of the first pruning cuts from about 30 years ago. I have never seen anything like this before.

 

[NickfromWI]

Could those also have been naturally shed brances? I guess the tree probably came from a nursery somewhere, in which case they probably WERE pruned off long ago.

Can I have that center to make a walking stick of?

Awesome pics!!!!

love
nick

 

[Norm_Hall]

Close up of the center stick.

 

[NickfromWI]

That answers it. Definately pruning cuts.

 

[Leon]

That's amazing. Thanks for sharing the photos.

 

[tophopper]

Very cool!

 

[Brian]

Jeez Norm, those look like they could be your pruning cuts. /forum/images/graemlins/applaudit.gif

 

[Colin]

I always like viewing the inside anatomy of a tree, like that one. Cool!

 

[speelyei]

How did you remove that tree? With a bucket, or a crane? Or did you just cut it from the ground? I notice a rigging sling in the first pic around the base.

 

[Norm_Hall]

We removed it using a bucket truck. The sling at the base was to anchor a port-a-wrap. We tied the leads together about 2/3's up and lowered over the lawn area.

 

[Mark Chisholm]

Lightning always amazes me.

 

[Treespotter]

[ QUOTE ]
Lightning always amazes me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too Mark, but I was very happy that I was not in this tree. This was the first BANG in that storm....

It WAS an 25 meter high Oak with a crown diameter of 16 meters and a stemdiameter of 90 centimeters, reduced in a "split" second to a 6 meter high tree with a 60 meter crown diameter.

 

[RGus]

That must have been one powerful bolt of lightning! /forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif