Help!

Does anyone know: when an arctic spruce about 15-20 years old has been lopped and I mean by about 2m (so essentially the 'point' being taken away), how long does it take for the point to start to grow again, so resuming it's proper shape?

Thanks.

 

I would say that once the growing tip has been cut away then it is gone for good. What should happen now is a side shoot will grow to take the place of the leader.

 

Thanks for replying.

So does that mean it will grow back on a slant, so not completely straight?

 

Hi Anners05

As daitheplant rightly said; with the growing tip removed, one of the top side branches should assume the role of dominant leader, and instead of growing outwards will grow upwards instead. In theory. The tree will almost certainly never return to its previous shape, but rather have a bendy tip, but this will take years to develop. I'd be more concerned about the possibility of wood decaying organisms entering the open wound on top of the tree, rather than its form.

 

Don`t worry about the cut area it will soon calous over.

 

Really?

The meristem cambium cells that form callous growth, or woundwood, are found in the branch collar of a limb and not in the stem itself. If the tree has been indiscriminately 'topped' nowhere in accordance with good arboricultural practice, than I would say that the chances of the area callousing over is slim. What may happen is that a nearby branch that assumes apical dominance and becomes the leader might provide some sort of bark cover over the wound, depending on size and location. In the meantime any fungal or bacterial pathogens will have ample time to get stuck into the open wound.

Sorry to be a bit drastic, but I see this stuff all the time, and it can easily be avoided if people got the right advice prior to working on their tree, instead of after when the damage has been done.

 

My mistake, I was thinking of the removal of side growth not top growth.

 

Hi Harmony

Thanks for replying. In all honesty, so-called tree professionals took 2m off the tip without permission on behalf of a power company. Upon asking how long it would take to grow back, I was informed by them (in their professional opinion) "It will take years". I was :wallbang: trying to get any sense out of them. No other advice was forthcoming, hence why I'm here.

Bottom line, I suppose you're saying, if it grows back at all, it will no longer be straight. It just looks ridiculous now. Thanks for being informative.

Going now to cheer myself up