Surveying the Aftermath of Hurricane Ian

Have you wondered why some trees fared better than others during Hurricane Ian?

Thankfully, our area was spared some of the worst effects of Hurricane Ian, but there was still plenty of tree damage throughout Sarasota and its barrier islands. That said, most of the fallen trees were weaker species like Ficus Trees, Silk Oaks, Mangos, Avocados, Tabebuias, and Jacarandas.

In contrast, we only saw a few downed Live Oaks as we surveyed the damage across our service area. Live Oaks have an extremely stable root zone and they lose their leaves during high-wind events, thereby reducing wind drag. These properties make Live Oaks far less likely to fall over.

Weaker limbs and branches with decay came down during the storm, and weak joint connections, like the co-dominant tree shown in the accompanying video, were exposed by the hurricane winds, but the trees themselves were still standing after the storm. Co-dominant or bifurcated trees appear tightly joined but, in reality, they are only loosely held by their shared bark.

If you have trees or limbs that are leaning after the storm, call Sarasota Arborist at 941-321-8001 for a full evaluation.

Sarasota Arborist offers a full range of Professional Tree Services including Pruning & Trimming, Tree Removal, and Stump Grinding as well as Arboricultural Consulting Services for people seeking a tree removal permit, property developers, homeowners associations, and realtors.