Will my trees recover from the beavers?

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Sunflower1888 Manassas, VA Apr 29, 2011

I have a pink Dogwood and a Redbud tree in my yard. There is a creek down the hill from the Dogwood and Redbud. There are beavers who live in the creek. You can guess where this is headed. The beavers got hungry and my Dogwood and Redbud became beaver chow. Both trees were gnawed off from 8-10 feet tall to about a foot tall. I thought they were goners but, amazingly, both are putting out tiny sprouts on the side of their remaining stumps. I have put a ring of hardware cloth around both trees to keep the beavers from coming back ( if ony I'd known sooner!! ) My question is: how will the trees recover? Will they remain 12" stumps with sprouts/branches coming out from the side? Or will they eventually regain some of their height? I understand that the gnawed off stumps will never regain height but I am hopeful that the new growth will eventually translate into height. Can anyone offer some guidance?

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themoonhowl Prairieville, LA(Zone 9a) May 01, 2011

I would think they would come back more shrub-like than as trees. At some point you may be able to re-establish a "leader" (main trunk) and return them to tree form. Perhaps a call to your county cooperative extension office would help get the answers you need.

http://www.ext.vt.edu/offices/

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kwanjin (Zone 7a) May 01, 2011

Tress, also, have their own way of establishing a leader. I would follow Moon's suggestion. I would also check to see if the cut is above or below the graft, if there is one.

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Sunflower1888 Manassas, VA May 03, 2011

Thanks for the replies :)

I will check with the extension office. I hadn't thought of that.

kwanjin, how can I tell if there is a graft? I wouldn't know what to look for.

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