Coral tree splitting in the heat of summer
Coral trees are notorious for having soft wood and failing without warning. In our Urban Environments, we tend to throw salt at injury by planting them in turf areas where they get over-watered and over-fertilized causing excessive annual growth. This growth is typically not structurally sustainable to the soft wooded tree. Coral trees are at home in drought tolerant environments where less water equals less (but stronger) growth.
Unfortunately, many of our trees are planted where they are planted and we need to maintain them as such. Our first advice, if possible, is to reduce the amount of irrigation they receive (this will reduce tree maintenance costs and reduce excessive growth). Second, Coral trees tend to fail in the heat of the summer. The new spring growth adds end-weight to the branches and the summer heat fills the trunk with water, which further softens the wood. These failures are most likely to happen near the end of summer (the hottest months) August and September. Therefore, thinning your Coral trees (as well as other soft-wooded trees) in late spring or early summer will help prevent branch and entire tree failures.
Pruning trees during the correct season will help prevent tree failures, reduce tree maintenance costs, and create healthy vigorous trees.
Would you like an Arborist to evaluate your property? Complete our Request Services form or contact us!