Redwood pruning

[Treeaddict]

Saw this picture on Facetweet. Someone said it was a particular species of Redwood and this is a type of trimming that can make them more wind resistant. Apparently they will grow back well in a few years. Is this true?

Redwoods prolifically stump sprout, don’t they? They probably could have taken all the green off and it would live?

 

[lxskllr]

I like the little tufts they left on top.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Saw this picture on Facetweet. Someone said it was a particular species of Redwood and this is a type of trimming that can make them more wind resistant. Apparently they will grow back well in a few years. Is this true?

Redwoods prolifically stump sprout, don’t they? They probably could have taken all the green off and it would live?

Wind firming

 

[SeanKroll]

Hahaaha

 

[Nutball]

If there's green left, it will probably grow back, but the branches will have more diameter for their length, so they can support more weight and wind.

 

[SeanKroll]

It's starving.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

Technically, it's one of the very few species of conifers able to grow a whole crown from nothing, like the yew. But what a challenge for her. Imagine that, feeding such a giant organism with just an handful of leaves for many years. That's relying only on the stored food. Will that be enough to wait until the fab system will be sufficiently productive? Time will tell.

 

[gf beranek]

That's interesting. Those trees will live. no problem.

 

[SeanKroll]

Really? Second-growth with limited and unnatural root zone conditions. Concrete absorbing/ releasing heat.


I supposed hardwoods survive full hatracking. Seems like it would predispose them to beetles and fungal infections.

 

[gf beranek]

Sean, most new growth that arises from those"pruned" redwoods will sprout off the trunk. Not from the stubs left.

It appears, however, the person who trimmed the trees was betting the new growth would develop from the stubs. If true it would look good a few years down the road.

Similar pics and results below.

images 6006 and 9683 are the same tree. Lots of people do this to their redwoods. Multiple times. every 10 to15 years.

 

[Bodean]

I’ve seen them stripped to poles and back in two years… seen them burnt to a pole and back in three years.

 

[cory]

that is crazy

 

[Bermy]

Well there you go!
Learned something new today.

 

[Mellow]

I thought only Florida trees did that.

"But topping is bad!"

 

[stig]

I've done the same thing to Larch.
They will come back the same way.
Strip them back every 3 years and you can have a green pillar in your garden.

Shigo would have a screaming fit, most likely.
But it works.

 

[lxskllr]

Honestly, they look better than I'd expect them to, but I'd still choke the shit out of anyone that did that to my redwoods.

 

[SeanKroll]

I'm curious how those trees fair over decades. I can understand that some trees would be removed if not denuded and regrown.

 

[gf beranek]

Like Stephen said, "fire will strip a redwood the same way"

Sean, there are literally thousands of redwoods in the wild that have been stripped by fire and storms, hundreds of years ago, and today they look like perfectly normal redwoods. At least to the layman they look normal.

As for myself I can tell the difference between redwoods that grew back from fire, storm or other mechanical injury from those that grew to reach maturity totally unscathed.

Most arborists that are familiar with the native trees in their region can tell you the same.