RedBuds.

Why do RedBud branches split open.


Trees to get.

Mimosa

Empress tree

Cleveland Select Pear

Pin Oak

Peach trees

Crabapple

Crimison King Maples

Catalpa

Japanesee maple

Dogwood

Blue and Norway Spruce

Fruiting Pears

Apple trees

Fruiting Cherrys

Rose of Sharron Bushes

Golden Rain tree

Newport Plum

Can you post a picture of your redbud with the split branch? It would be easier to tell what might have happened if you have a picture.

Know I have not got a picture I was just wandering why one would split I seen too in my neighborhood do that. Somehow the limb has never broke yet even after being like that serveral years. Has anyone on this forum had RedBuds that have had limbs split.

Don't know the answer to your question. When I lived in the woods, a lot of branches and sometimes trunks of smaller trees would split. I always attributed it to damage from the deer nibbling on the trees. It sometimes took a few years for the split to happen but a closer examination always showed stripped bark in the same area as the split.

~Sharon

Thankyou these trees are in city limits so theres no deer.

I wouldn't be so sure there aren't deer, I know plenty of people who live within city limits that have deer problems. Of course that doesn't mean it's deer that caused your redbud to split, plenty of other reasons why trees can split too. If you were able to post some pictures maybe someone would have some ideas of what happened in your particular case, otherwise it's hard to say.

I have never seen any deer. I have seen rabbits and ground hogs a lot here lately.

You may want to reconsider the Empress tree and mimosa --- and how about adding gingko!! and Katsura.. and sourwood and silverbell and .... (smile) I am shooting for a Forest Pansy Redbud this year and a witch hazel.

Ive never seen gingko at Lowes or Katsura or sourwood or silverbell or witch hazel. I have seen Forest Pansy Redbud at Lowes. I had to get my Mimosa from a seller in the Iwanna paper. Thankyou.

Mimosa will be everywhere -- just be prepared - invasive.

The katsura, sourwood, silverbell best found at a nursery unless you want small then you can find on ebay.

We had many Redbuds growing up outside of Cincinnati. They frequently had splits or broken-off branches. I just always figured the wood was not overly strong.

Hope this helps.

Red Bud is a soft wood which doesn't help in wind storms as well as snow when the leaves are still on the tree. Another thing is freezing and thawing. If winter is rough as far as really dramatic changes in temp and water (snow or ice or melting off) it can cause the branches to get weak and more prone to breaking at any point in time. Late winter / early spring freezing and thawing is the worst!!!

Also, some Red Bud trees can develop a weak crotch next to the main trunk (if single stem) so they tend to break right at that point. I have seen many in our nursery that break the same way a Bradford Pear might break - the top of the break (at the top of the growth ring) forms a round shape and the branch peals off the bark, and sometimes the cambium layer, on the way down. This can form a nice big scar. Most of ours have healed, but they have been healing in the ground for a few years.

Disease like canker also will weaken the tree and cause splitting, but you should see a weeping along with the split.

Key thing - stress.

Hello,
A year ago I planted a ginko tree that was delivered with branches tied for protection. Upon cutting the branches free I found they had been pruned back significantly. The tree is about at least 12 ft tall and the branches starting about 18" up the trunk are between 12" and 30" in length - very short relative to other smaller ginkos I've seen.
I'm wondering if I shound prune to eliminate the shorted branches leaving the longer to get more strength or just leave the whole thing. I am after that lovely sculptural look of the long branches.
thanks for your help.

Can you post a picture of your tree? It would also help if you start a new thread--this one is pretty old and the topic was redbuds, so the people who know a lot about ginkgoes and pruning may not even look in here and see your question.