Interesting Tree failure - girdling roots?

[Treeation]

So, here is a medium size horse chestnut I inspected only earlier this year. The context of the tree is in a common in a public open space. There has been no visisble signs of any ground works. It had some bleeding canker present on trunk Pseudomonas syringae pv aesculi but generally crown was in moderate physiological condition and the structurally moderate condititon. I had advised to remove some major dw and reduce a scaffold with a compression fork under a low priority as the tree has a desire line running under its crown. Other than a slight lean, it had no other visible defects.

 

Yesterday, I discovered it had failed at the roots and collapsed onto the ocassionally used desire line. No one hurt or nothing broken thankfully. I went to have a look at the base expecting to see root decay but actually found none at all. There seemed to be no tension root and very minimal broken, structural roots flaring from the root collar. I took a look in the corresponding root pit and found an arm sized root encircling the pit (see pic with yellow lines) which would have been girdling the trunk below ground level. So my theory is poor nursery stock - pot bound with girdling roots that prevented an adequate structural root system from developing hence the failure....any other thoughts anyone?

[Ferguson system]

Girdling roots seems like a very likely candidate for having caused the failure. My guess is that the tree was planted too deep as well.

[Mark J]

That's bad, glad no one was hurt. It looks like there was less taper than you might expect on a tree that size but still nothing to cause alarm bells to ring. Good information to have, thanks.

[Treeation]

That's bad, glad no one was hurt. It looks like there was less taper than you might expect on a tree that size but still nothing to cause alarm bells to ring. Good information to have, thanks.

 

No worries, seems like it was a ticking time bomb, does reinforce the need to inspect nursery stock and only chose good quality stock. I guess this tree was doomed ever since it was planted out.

[Mark J]

No worries, seems like it was a ticking time bomb, does reinforce the need to inspect nursery stock and only chose good quality stock. I guess this tree was doomed ever since it was planted out.

 

Makes you wonder quite how much money is squandered due to poor planting control. May be a dissertation project in there somewhere...

[Treeation]

Girdling roots seems like a very likely candidate for having caused the failure. My guess is that the tree was planted too deep as well.

 

Interesting point as ISA state "Research has shown that trees planted too deeply are more prone to developing girdling roots than those with trunk flare exposed"

[Khriss]

A lucky escape ! But you were thorough in yr VTA and duty of care, so , ''unforseeable' had a medium sized ash do that to me only last weekend near a school boundary , C

[Treeation]

A lucky escape ! But you were thorough in yr VTA and duty of care, so , ''unforseeable' had a medium sized ash do that to me only last weekend near a school boundary , C

 

Yes a relief for sure! as you say was not foresseable so all good

[devon TWiG]

was this just a plain Aesculus hippocastanum ? it looks a bit like a graft union at the base that has perhaps failed .

[Treeation]

Makes you wonder quite how much money is squandered due to poor planting control. May be a dissertation project in there somewhere...

 

Yeah for sure!