Summer sudden limb drop

familytree

familytree

Location
Haddonfield, nj
I'm doing a bit of "light reading" and came across summer sudden limb drop and was wondering what some of you know about it.

Apparently red oaks are a more prone species but I haven't read much more about it. What else can you tell me? Any suggested reading? Is there a particular area this happens in more (higher heat zones, higher humidity areas?)
 
Yes, I've seen it. Two years ago, a Pin oak that we had been in the year before dropped a 10-12"lower limb. Horizontal limb, but good attachment and no decay. It was a very dry summer, though. I spoke to a lot of old-timers, and they told me some of the same things about red oaks and dry spells.
 
I've heard of it happening with cottonwoods, though possibly not without a recent rain during drought. I've been told not to camp under them if there has been rain as they can suck up a lot of water, causing the limbs to get suddenly heavier.

A customer had a large (4'dbh) cottonwood lose an 18-20' limb with a strong attachment by breaking a couple of feet from the collar during a still summer night. I don't recall any water factor.
 
I have yet to see it happen but homeowners have told me stories about it.

Anyone have any ideas? I understand why it would happen if a sudden rain came after a drought, if I hear of it happening again I'll be sure to ask that.
 
We deal with it occasionally out here in SoCal. Eucalyptus and Ficus sp. mainly, but some others. I'll look back through my Western Arborist magazines to find the info.

From what I remember what seems to be the theory is that during transpiration, usually during a significant warming period (but not always), and draws a higher content of water up and out to the limbs, in combo with more leaf and stem growth, the weight of it all is more than the branch attachment can take. I'll look it up and check the details.

Last year on Catalina Island (just off our coast) outside of the town of Avalon a local young man was killed as he and his friend were driving around the island. They use mostly golf carts there. A large branch came off and killed him instantly. The investigation with a Cons. Arb suggested this cause, as well as the trees not being pruned for quite a while.
 
Here in the Northeast I have heard of it with Oaks, one particular story from Central Park in NY. I think someone was hurt or killed by an otherwise healthy branch and this was determined to be the cause.

-Tom
 
I had a client report an unexplainable drop of a poplar limb a few yrs ago. We went to look at the rest of the tree and didn't see any other signs of a problem.

Arborist news had an article on this phenomenon a few yrs back.
 
I've seen/heard it happen. I was standing near a large Eucalyptus on a still and very hot summer day, when SNAP! It was a 12-14" branch came crashing down right on top of an SUV parked in the driveway crushing it.
I think there might be some validity to the high transpiration and ring growth possibly causing SSD. However, this branch broke nowhere near the attachment point, but rather in the middle 3-4 feet from the crotch.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I saw a sweetgum limb crush a cottage due to SLD. attached is a compelling theory

[/ QUOTE ]


That's interesting. Does it line up with the species that have been mentioned in this thread, regarding being ring-porous?
 
I like the explanation, too. Its definitely compelling, but the scientific skeptic in me says that we should verify this.

Topping makes sense in that your tree is not going to blow over in the wind from catching too much wind, right?

Trees will fall over if there are more branches on one side, intuitively, right?

Just saying, let's try to find out more, before passing this on to others.
 
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