Damaged Blue Cedar

[Jxl254]

This beautiful blue cedar tree in my parents garden has had a large branch ripped off in a recent storm leaving a very big wound. Is there anything we can do to help preserve the tree for as long as possible?

Should anything be done to the wound? There’s a ledge that is collecting water so was wondering if that should be cut to let it drain?

 

The remainder of the tree seems to be stable, there’s no movement in the trunk at all and the roots haven’t been lifted. 

 

It’s such a special tree to us so trying to get as much advice as possible. 

[tomo567]

It doesn't look like decay in the failed union, looks like included bark,  Wind dynamics will now of changed so risk of further storm damage has increased. Might be possible to retain with some crown reduction work. Don't jump onto the idea that it needs to be felled just because someone tells you on forum. It means a lot to you, so, pay a few hundred quid to get an independent tree inspector to give you some decent advice and take it from there...let us know the outcome.

Your not touting for work by any chance are you

[Steve Bullman]

7 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

I saw that, may time to get the triple ladder out.

Khriss is already on it after shimmying up the trunk.

 

 

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, Treeation said:

It doesn't look like decay in the failed union, looks like included bark,

No it doesn't particularly but the dark triangular area is the included bark, the slightly greyer exposed wood shows the initial split occurred some time before the fresh wood where the final failure occurred.

[Puffingbilly413]

1 hour ago, openspaceman said:

No it doesn't particularly but the dark triangular area is the included bark, the slightly greyer exposed wood shows the initial split occurred some time before the fresh wood where the final failure occurred.

Yep - was just thinking that too. How long you reckon for that greyed colour to come on? Got to be some time. I often see cedars crack then stabilise, albeit more often heavy lateral branches that partially sit on those below.
 

You can see ears forming around / below the area of the inclusion but the reaction efforts of the tree lost the race - shame.

 

I would fell. Reduction would make it look an eyesore in my view. Cedars IME don’t like big cuts but if it’s the difference between keeping a loved tree for a bit longer or losing it then fair enough.
 

You could try taking cuttings but I read that cedars are v tricky - but you would potentially get to keep the tree albeit in a new guise. Any seed possibility?

[Mark Bolam]

Just cross your fingers and pray.

Remove as many targets as possible.

 

As MB says, the wind will get into it now and expose other limbs to stresses they haven’t experienced before.

 

No consultant in his right mind would put a ‘SAFE’ stamp on that, don’t waste your money.

Many would suggest a 3m crown reduction, which as PB has suggested would look shite.

Cedars don’t reduce well, they lose the classic cedar look.

 

Anyone suggesting a reduction should put up pics of meaningfully reduced cedars they have done that still look like cedars, rather than fake Christmas trees, and what they looked like after 5 years.

 

Real shame, because it’s still a nice tree.

[MattyF]

Depends on who does the reduction though if it looks shit or not mark, I've seen some very good ones along with some of the worse I've ever seen on blue cedars ...

[trigger_andy]

This beautiful blue cedar tree in my parents garden has had a large branch ripped off in a recent storm leaving a very big wound. Is there anything we can do to help preserve the tree for as long as possible?
Should anything be done to the wound? There’s a ledge that is collecting water so was wondering if that should be cut to let it drain?
 
The remainder of the tree seems to be stable, there’s no movement in the trunk at all and the roots haven’t been lifted. 
 
It’s such a special tree to us so trying to get as much advice as possible. 

If the tree ends up being a total loss then perhaps consider having the timber milled on location and when dried have something made out of it to remember it by? Some outdoor furniture in the same location for example.

[AHPP]

Bolam is spot on. And regardless of what a reduction looks like, you’ve still got a walloping big tree you still won’t trust and it’ll cost pretty much the same as removing it once.
I’m sure Matty has seen artful cedar reductions but I haven’t. The majority of climbers will make it ugly. I even did one once, against my usual good judgement. Absolute butcher job. I’ve got photos. You’re not seeing them.

[AHPP]

There was a thread about reducing cedars and affecting wind flow and sail characteristics in the last three months. That contained some pertinent material. I’m pretty sure I posted in it. Look back through my posts. The site search engine is fiddly so google AHPP AND cedar AND reduction site:arbtalk.co.uk

 

[benedmonds]

12 hours ago, Mark Bolam said:

Cedars don’t reduce well, they lose the classic cedar look.

 

Anyone suggesting a reduction should put up pics of meaningfully reduced cedars they have done that still look like cedars, rather than fake Christmas trees, and what they looked like after 5 years.

I disagree, you can sometimes create an aged look with cedars. Not all, but many have an internal crown that you can cut back to retaining a natural shape like over sized bonsai.   

This may not be the best example, but it was the only one roadside I could remember off the top of my head. It lost a big limb in 2017 leaving it exposed, and we reduced it .

 

Second photo borrowed from street view shows it 3 years later. With a bit of thinning it would be even better and certainly better than no tree.