Healthy trees are always growing, and in many cases, upward growth results in a loss of lower branches. It's no coincidence that the majority of mature trees in the arboretum lack their lower limbs. Healthy branches are often removed to make the landscape more accessible for foot traffic or, for safety concerns, to increase visibility. Some species take care of this for us; the trees naturally shed their lower limbs. Yet these dead branches don't immediately fall off a tree and may remain attached for years. While we normally allow these things to resolve themselves naturally and clean up the mess, sometimes we need to be proactive.
This past week, we decided to remove the unsightly dead branches from a black oak (Quercus velutina), located near the fitness center. This individual had accumulated a large number of dead branches, and since it's growing on the periphery of the arboretum, in a high-traffic area, we decided to improve its appearance. Here we show the results:
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Our tree of the week is a black oak (Quercus velutina) that needed some cosmetic work done. This tree was planted near the Fitness Center less than 25 years ago but details of its planting history are unavailable.
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A ladder was needed to do the tree trimming. These surface roots made it very difficult to position the ladder on solid ground. Be careful when doing this kind of work!
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The surface roots are thick and bulbous, showing obvious signs of damage from lawn equipment.
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Surface roots of Quercus velutina, photographed October 7, 2023
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| Surface roots of Quercus velutina, photographed October 7, 2023 |
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Protruding from the ground makes these roots a sure target of lawnmowers and trimmers.
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These dead branches started about eight feet above ground level and continued to around fifteen feet up. That required some climbing!
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The tree looks a bit sparse, but much better overall.
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With the dead branches removed, we can appreciate the black oak's straight trunk and dark bark.
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These dead branches were all removed from one tree.
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We will be watching this black oak over the next couple of months; we are expecting pretty fall foliage from it. Our appreciation of the color change won't be marred by those ugly dead branches.
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And we have another reason to check-in with this tree in the coming months: acorns were spotted. Not many, and, of course, they are out of reach. Can you see one?
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Quercus velutina acorn, photographed October 7, 2023
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