our pecan tree suffered a lightning strike in the storm last thursday, and while i think the tree may make it -- looks like the path the lightning took stayed on the outside and the tree is not cracked -- i am not sure what to do about the crispy plants in the bed below the tree. some of them just look a little singed around the edges, but the angel trumpets look just awful. should i cut them back and hope for the best?
these are my mangled angel trumpets. i think the water in the stems must have just been vaporized. they're all shriveled :(
and last, but certainly not least, my crispy coneflowers...
I wish I had some answers for you, but I don't. I just want to say that the 1st photo of the tree.... the line left by the lightning looks just like lightning! I can't say that I've ever seen a tree that's been struck before.
Janet
I can't help wish I could know what to tell you to do and that all will be well but I am not that smart about plants or lightning. I did however just learn if you are caught out in lightning and you feel static electricity move really far and quickly out of the way as you are standing in a direct path of lightning. And was reminded because of the rubber tires a car is the safest place to be but don't be touching the metal parts if lightning should strike the car.
It is such devastation but I do find things like this so fascinating. I love to watch lightning and I did see a funnel cloud try to form in the clouds once. Only with the help of a power line could I tell it was descending and twisting. I was mesmerized but luckily it only tried a few times and did not get the full wind it needed to touch halfway to the ground or I was frozen by the wonder and would not be here to tell you.
The makings on that tree is beautiful. I have 2 pines hit by lightning since I lived here and they are alive. The only beauty is where the bark split is where a woodpecker put a hole and made a nest. One was struck 10 + yrs ago and is still very much alive. I hope the same for your pecan tree.
Blessings,
Sandy ^8^
I'm far from being an expert, kiddo, but I believe that if you will just water them really thoroughly and watch them for a week or so, most of everything will come back, and start putting out new growth. You can always remove the yellowing foilage and deadhead the blooms. Nature has a way of healing it's own.....so maybe a little time, patience, and a lot of love is all they need.
"eyes"
I can't really tell from your photo, but it looks like your tree took a pretty hard hit. Hopefully that's just a thin layer of bark missing. A huge live oak just down the block from us was hit several years ago. It hung on to dear live until this year, when it finally had to be removed. If more than just a little bark is missing, I highly recommend you contact a reputable tree surgeon asap. Not just any old tree trimming service, but someone who can diagnose and treat damaged trees. So sorry to hear of your misfortune.
Good Luck, Dan
thanks for the replies everyone! it is just a thin layer of bark missing -- surface bark really. the exposed part is a lower layer of bark, or at least looks like it - on the parts i can see anyway. or maybe that's just wishful thinking lol. would our extension office be able to point us in the direction of a tree surgeon who could assess the damage? i believe i will trim the yuck off the other plants, wait, water, and watch.
thanks!
steph
Your tree may make it. Lightening seems attracted to pines. We had a strike one street over, a pine, and a lady that was walking down the street when it happened died from it. The paramedics said the lightening traveled all the way down the trees and into the ground. She just happened to be close enough that she got the full blast. The tree does still have the lightening "trail" down it, but it hasn't died. I'm not sure on the plants, but I'd suspect they might not make it. It it was hot enough to vaporize the water in the stems, they'll almost be cooked. It won't hurt to wait a few days to see though. Good luck and I hope you don't loose your tree.
Crow
crowelli I just remambered the neighbor saw the one bolt that struck my one pine tree 5 + yrs ago. He walked over and touched it and he said it was so hot he grabbed his hand back like a hot element on a stove on high. I had forgot that till I read your post.
It still lives but we lost alot of appliances without a fire.
The plants are probably fried. But Thank God you are all safe.
