Bad Storm, BAD!

11 years ago

Here in the upstate of South Carolina it is very common fr the contractors to plant a Bradford Pear tree in the front of the finished home they build. And while these are beautiful fast growing trees, they are not very sturdy and last about 10 years (if you are lucky) before they loose major branches either to high winds or to snow and ice. I have been lucky because my tree was one of the few in my neighborhood to not have any damage over the last 13 years. That is up until last week! That's when we had a huge thunderstorm roll through our area. And even though I welcomed the rain, I DID NOT welcome the destruction it caused on my house. About 9pm the first half of the tree broke and fell into the road. PHEW, I thought. I was so glad it hadn't fallen on my roof or my car that was within a few feet to it in the driveway. Well about 5am we woke to a loud boom. At first we thought it was lightning striking nearby, but when we peeked out the window we quickly found out that the majority of the remaining part had fallen onto the house. Luckily it really only clipped the roof and gutters. But sadly there was a tragic injury when I looked closer. My beautiful sweet weeping Japanese maple that I have been growing for about 10 years was nearly split in two! I really felt like crying over my poor little tree. I am happy that my house and car and more importantly my family was not harmed. But dang it, couldn't it had just fallen about three feet to the left so my tree would have been okay?

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Comments (11)

rob333 (zone 7b)
11 years ago
Hey Indigo! Welcome to the Party. I totally agree, just a few inches, what could that have mattered to a falling tree? Dang it! Good looking Japanese Maple. Hopefully, it'll rebound a bit.
lindac
11 years ago
The maple will be fine....eventually. the Bradford pear...not so much!! LOL!
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west_gardener
11 years ago
Oh yes, that was a bad storm. Sorry about your trees. I have a Japanese maple out front and that is one tough tree, it should be ok with some TLC.
Indigo_Skye
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the welcome rob333. And I do hope it will eventually grow back. I have to walk by it each time I go in and out the front door and it makes me sad. The shock of the damage to the maple is getting less each day, but dang that stupid storm and weak bradford pear!
mawheel
11 years ago
Hi Indigo, glad to have you join the party!

We had a beautiful Japanese maple in our front garden which was over 4' tall and had a spread of over 6'. The multiple, heavy snows of 2010 split it in two and we were unable to save it, so I understand your 'pain' over the Bradford pear tree falling on it. But hey, if it does rebound, it'll be safer, won't it? :>)
gabriell_gw
11 years ago
Welcome to the party! Sorry about your trees, I had no idea the Bradford Pear is so vulnerable. They are very popular in Texas.
Lisa_H OK
11 years ago
We have a ton of Bradford pears in OK too. They can look so pretty until spring storms, ice storms, wind storms, ect come along. We had a huge hail storm a month ago that took out a gigantic tree a block down from me. People still plant them!

P.S. Welcome!

Lisa
meldy_nva
11 years ago
Welcome to the party!

Offering you a virtual hanky; it's hard to have to see that damage every day. Hopefully, it will recover quickly and [who knows?] look even better. Meanwhile, talk to it; maybe buy it a Kuan Yin ~ after all, we give plants to people who have been hurt, so why not give a people to a hurt plant?
Indigo_Skye
Original Author
11 years ago
thank you all for the welcomes and support. And yes, Bradford Pears are very popular ans pretty. but very weak in my opinion. Like I said, mine was one of the few that hadn't already had some previous storm damage if not completely ruined. I can say though that another one in the neighborhood came down that same night and it hit both their house and Jeep! My advice for anyone that likes these trees is to NEVER plant one anywhere near your home or where you park your cars!!!
eahamel
11 years ago
I'd never have a Bradford pear! They are very weak. I'm sure your maple will be fine, though it will look different.

My advice for anyone who likes these trees is to admire them in other peoples' yards. :)
west_gardener
11 years ago
I feel your pain Indigo_Skye, a huge branch of one of our apple trees, filled with apples, broke and left a gaping wound on the tree. It is sad.