Nothing to do now but wait…and learn from it.

tj

That is quite severe

What's amazing, is the tree leafed out so well and is perfectly healthy even though being choked.

The downside is there could be a weak spot in the trunk at that point where the wires cut into it.

It should do better now that circulation has been restored again and eventually the trunk should recover but it could take a few years.

You might want to do some staking further up the tree to prevent strong winds breaking the tree off at the wound, until it has some time to build some strength in that area. Again, that could be a few years.

Yes, never use wire to stake a tree and if you do, use lengths of rubber hose on the wire where it contacts the tree. Then check every so often for anything that might go wrong.

And you don't need to stake the tree too rigidly. After 3 years there should be no problem with the tree uprooting. You just want to stake it so high winds don't bend the tree to the point it snaps.

As with everything in life, the tree could fail, but the previous I wrote above would be my recommendations for the attempt to give the tree a chance to recover. ;-)

That tree doesn't look healthy to me....the crown appears to be very small compared to the size of the trunk. I don't think that it will recover from this severe injury.

Jen, for your future reference, in most cases trees don't need to staked at all upon planting. If a healthy tree is properly planted in anything but shifting, sandy soil that step is simply useless.

Your tree was also trussed up improperly and for years longer than advised.

Sorry that the prognosis isn't better but your tree is an astonishingly good example of the worst practices.

When we moved into this house there was a small maple, probably about the size of yours when the wire was first applied. Through an unknown cause the bark was missing for about a third of the diameter and about 12" long (It was that way when we bought the property)

I worked with the tree for about 7 years. Each year it leafed and seemed to be growing despite the wound. In the last couple of years before I cut it down, the top branches of the tree were dying.

While your tree looks health, looking at the branching I suspect the tree is already suffering from the wound. So in my opinion I would stop fussing with it, hoping it would survive; and remove it now. I would replace it with as big a tree as I could afford, and watch a healthy tree without a handicapped grow

It is an oak, which has extremely strong wood. And if the phloem layer is operational like it appears to be, well, trees have overcome worse.

I disagree with staking being worthless. I planted enough trees to know what thunderstorm winds will do when a trunk is not strong enough to support vigorous spring growth. They'll bend right over with the weight of the wind and rain.

The only other choice is to have the tree replaced.

Of course, that will also take a few years for it to grow another large root mass and begin to grow vigorously.

It's your tree, your choice.

Thank you all, will keep a close eye for any other issues.

i would have cut the wire.. but left it there.. i hope you didnt destroy the cambium layer.. ripping it out ...

in tree time.. ignore this issue for the rest of the trees lifetime.. or yours.. whichever is shorter ..

if you did harm the cambium;;.. you will see intense sprouting below the wound.. probably next spring ... and if the sprouting is at ground level of below.. the entire tree is questionable..

regardless .... try to not worry about it.. weve all killed a plant or tree along the way.. and when we did.. we learned something.. lol .. like you did in this case ...

ken

Ken - good point about leaving the wire. That may have been the best move.

That wound may even show signs of healing yet this Fall, as the tree hardens off.

Time will tell.

We would never leave wire in a tree for any reason.

That stems from a courtesy we had for the guy that may have to use a chain saw on it someday.