JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Irma has left us with vistas of mangled or snapped trees across town and throughout the state. Many of us are considering replacing the trees but make sure to avoid less wind resistant species.
One good choice is the Live Oak. Jacksonville's Southbank has its famous Treaty Park Oak that is more than two centuries old. The 25 foot trunk circumference has weathered a fare number of storms growing more than 70 feet tall.
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But what about those trees stripped clear or left with brown leaves? They are probably not dead. The defoliation is a survival tactic and new leaves will reappear.
Pines however may decline long after the storm. After Hurricane Charley 27% of the South Florida slash pines and 48% of the standing longleaf pines died.
Palms handle winds better than broad-leaved trees but damage may not show up immediately after the storm. Allow at least 6 months for palms to put out new fronds.
The University of Florida conducted research on species of trees after hurricanes and found groups or clusters of trees were also more wind resistant compared to individual trees.
No tree is completely wind proof, and the local soil conditions, age, structure and health of the tree can impact survival in hurricanes.
The more rooting space a tree has, the healthier it is, meaning better anchorage and resistance to wind.
A slower-moving storm with a lot of precipitation will mean more water accumulating in the soil and less friction between roots and soil to hold trees up.
Trees growing in shallow soils are more likely to tip over than trees rooted more deeply.
Another important practice is pruning. Pruning provides more wind resistance to trees and should be considered an important practice for tree health and wind resistance.
Here are the most wind resistant trees:
- Sand live oak (Quercus germinata),
- Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora),
- Live oak (Quercus virginiana).
- Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica),
- Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum),
- Sabal or Cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto).
Trees to avoid:
- Sand pine (Pinus clausa)
- Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia)
- Water oak (Quercus nigra)
- Laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia)