Knowledgebase
Big old oak branch broken off with hole #887685
Asked October 10, 2024, 4:04 PM EDT
About a month ago, strong winds broke off a very large branch to our grandfather oak tree. It is located in the easement between our homes, so we cleared it out, but now there is a big hole in the tree, and insects are flying into it. The hole is very high so we cannot see what kind of bugs are getting into it. We are concerned about the health of this beautiful old tree. Any recommendations you have for us to take care of it are most welcome.
Livingston County Michigan
Expert Response
The hole in the tree will have predated the branch falling, and may have contributed to the failure of that branch. About all you can do now is to prune off the branch stub back to just beyond the branch collar (the raised area where the branch connected to the trunk). That will encourage healing, though a wound of that size will never really heal. There is another branch below that, to the left, that looks either dead or badly damaged, perhaps from when the other branch fell. If it is dead, it would be good to prune that branch out, back to the branch collar. A dead branch is another entry point for insects and disease. Otherwise, you can't really do anything about the hollow in the tree. It will serve as habitat for insects and animals as long as the tree is standing.
If this tree is located where it could be a safety concern if it falls, you may want to have a tree risk assessment performed by a certified arborist. Beyond that, large trees like this often live on for many decades, even with hollows formed in the trunk.
To locate an arborist and verify training in risk assessment:
https://www.asm-isa.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=883139&module_id=274045
