The recent storm - trees we'll miss

Maybe others will contribute to this. We had a pretty bad wind storm last weekend, power out in many places. Many of the power problems were caused by trees that blew over. I happened to walk past what was my favourite Robinia Purple Robe (TM), on Willow north of 39th, and it's so gone. In this case, it wasn't the tree that fell over, but rather that it just shredded. It still had a few flowers.

Here is the tree in 2012.


And now.


There are lots of sprouts from the roots, but these have spines and the cultivar, as far as I can see, does not.


In Kitsilano, 3rd Avenue between Balsam and Larch, two private Fraxinus excelsior keeled over. My friend's blue car is between them, untouched (and it remains untouched because she can't move it). The Vancouver Trees app describes these trees as having shallow, fibrous roots (actually it seems it describes a lot of street trees that way).

 

I remember this Robinia. Very sad

 

The root suckers are almost certainly black locust from the rootstock (the usual practice), but if the City leaves the stump/trunk, I wouldn't be surprised to see it come back in the Spring. I've had a couple of Purple Robes snap completely and push out vigorous new growth the following Spring and re-establish themselves fairly quickly.

 

The city is hoping the downed wood will be put to some use by woodworkers. The cut pieces in the medians are available. Chipped branches and larger pieces will be available at the special locations.

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/felled+oxford+street+maple+planted+during+second+world/11333338/story.html

Gardeners might find some nice pieces. I am on the look out for a few nice chunks to decorate the local traffic circle.

 

Here are some pictures of three downed Fraxinus excelsiors on Windsor between 31st & 33rd (there is no 32nd) Avenue, Vancouver, during the wind storm this past Saturday.

 

poor owners, so scary

 

There are no owners - these are street trees. Unless you mean the home owners. I spoke to one of them, and he seemed none the worse for wear. The trees apparently didn't do any damage to the homes around them. Awfully lucky.

 

Here's some more storm damage in the same neighbourhood. Less exciting because they were only branches, but still ...

At 28th & Prince Albert, a plum tree:



And at 31st & Prince Albert, another Fraxinus, I think:

 

That is sad that they fell over, looks like the soil is pretty poor and they were not deep enough in the ground on some of those.
I suppose a proper arborist could trim the tree so that it isn't so top heavy, another important part of city maintenance!

 

"Poor-looking" soil and an assumption that the trees were not planted "deep enough" is not nearly definitive enough an explanation for why some trees fell over to assume that trimming the canopies would make any difference at all. Obviously arborists and qualified horticulturalists will be studying the reasons (other than heavy winds) some trees were so susceptible and what can be done in future to prevent such destruction.

 

on Fri - I saw pieces of tree, likely a willow - (short cuts, wide diam, likely very heavy) in Stanley Park drive - on the "downtown side" of the Tea House (kind of near where the tree stump is in middle of road, then pretty soon the tennis courts, salt water pool etc) - so if anyone is looking for wood - there it is. Not sure what type of tree for sure - but as I said, I think it was willow.

in reference to above comments - I wonder if the combo of dry soil (not as much heft as wet to hold roots) - plus full summer foliage - plus wet leaves - plus the GUSTing wind - maybe just the 'perfect combo" for fallen / broken trees. I hope everyone can recover soon.

what trees fell at UBC (in the condo areas, the academic areas, and the Bot Garden itself?

 

In the Garden, we lost a Paulownia tomentosa (which was slated for removal) and a small Magnolia which we are hoping may regenerate.

 

interesting Daniel - re: magnolia - I've seen one of the popular smoke trees around Vancouver BC (Cotinus - ie purple leaves with fuzzy purple over the leaves --- and approx same size as some garden magnolia trees) topple over at the roots due to sudden, heavy, wet snow - and it was propped back up with maybe a crudely fashioned rope tether - and looks fine about a decade later. Most observers would ever guess.