Why does one of my hemlocks lose branches in bad weather?

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ShaynaPearl Maynard, MA Nov 28, 2014

I have 2 tall hemlocks in the backyard. Neither has woolly aldegid (sp?). However, in the past few years, one of them has lost a number of branches, usually--but not only--in big storms, while the one that stands only about 10 feet away is strong and unbroken.

The weaker, more vulnerable tree even lost the top of its peak during a N'oreaster 2 years ago. (Now it looks like it has a bad haircut.) 2 days ago, a couple of branches came down, but this time the storm wasn't so big. We only got 1"-2" of snow, and the winds weren't impressive. So this tree is seeming vulnerable.

Any idea why one of these trees would have limbs breaking off and the other doesn't?

Also, can I do anything about it? And do I need to do anything about it? If the trunk broke instead of just branches, I'd be concerned since it's fairly close to the house.

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Resin Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a) Nov 29, 2014

Hard to know. Could be just a genetic fault in the fragile individual.

Resin

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Muddy1 Vienna, VA(Zone 7a) Dec 02, 2014

It could be that your house, your neighbor's house, other trees or some other structure provide more protection to the strong one. The branches that just fell from the weak one might have been weakened during previous storms.

Microbursts can take the tops off trees while leaving others 10 feet away untouched. That happened to a row of identical trees a few miles from my house.

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kittriana Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a) Dec 06, 2014

Microbursts? Agreed, tho, many things can be affecting it, including just a bad spot to be planted

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Muddy1 Vienna, VA(Zone 7a) Dec 06, 2014

I probably should have said wind shear, not a microburst which would cause damage over a wider area.

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wha Pepperell, MA(Zone 6a) Dec 07, 2014

i agree with Resin - one simply might be hardier. I have perennials and a couple azaleas next to each other one thrives and the other does not. moved the suffering azalea a few feet and amended the soil and had an impressive burst of growth.

as forest gump said "--it happens"..........

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ShaynaPearl Maynard, MA Dec 08, 2014

Thanks, everyone. They all sound like good hypotheses, including Forest Gump's.

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