Nearly four years ago, these now beautiful and flourishing Live Oaks were victims of an EF-3 tornado that struck the city of Dallas in 2019. Thanks to the delicate and precise care of our arborist team, this landscape has been revitalized.

Above, is a photo from the Google Maps website. This street view of our client's home was taken 3 months after the catastrophic tornado annihilated their trees. Although at first glance these trees appear dead, our company’s arborist created a comprehensive 10-year health program to bring our client’s Live Oaks back to life.

The primary objective was to stimulate epicormic sprouting, where new growth emerges in response to damage. This growth would enable the trees to produce their own energy and food through photosynthesis.

As shown in this “before” photo, the tornado severely compromised the health of the Live Oaks, with trunks, branches, and bark torn and foliage stripped away. This made the trees susceptible to infestations and decay, increasing their risk of death. Since all the Live Oaks on the property became immediate risks after the storm, we had an upfront conversation regarding which trees were worth saving and how we would do so, and which trees needed to be removed.

decrease without it?” and “What damage could occur if it falls?” After deliberation, we removed a large Live Oak in the yard’s left center

After deciding to remove only four trees, we focused on a health program for the remaining Live Oaks. Treatments included vertical mulching, tree injections, sprays, deep root fertilization, root flare exposure, and pruning to promote epicormic sprouts.

Vertical mulching stimulated new fibrous roots, injections and sprays boosted immune systems, deep root fertilization provided essential micro-nutrients, and root flare exposure relieved soil compaction around buttress roots.

The health program encouraged the Live Oaks to produce epicormic sprouts. It was decided to remove a Live Oak near the front fence, which is pictured here. The remaining trees were treated and pruned, resulting in the healthy Live Oaks seen in subsequent backyard photos. 

After allowing epicormic sprouts to grow for three years, they matured into full canopies. We then selectively pruned conflicting sprouts to sculpt new canopies capable of producing their own energy.

Protecting weak trees from pests that constantly chewed on the epicormic sprouts we were shaping into the new canopy was a significant challenge. To address this, we treated pest-inflicted wounds with Lac Balsam, or “Artificial Bark,” which sealed and protected the trees from infections.

This treatment proved successful, promoting healthy canopy growth and enabling the trees to conduct photosynthesis once again.

As shown in this photo from after the tornado, one might have thought these trees wouldn’t survive another storm. However, due to our team's care, persistence, and diligence, the Live Oaks have regained their strength.

Nearly four years after the devastating tornado, another severe storm with 83 mph winds hit Dallas on May 28, 2024. The Live Oaks stood firm, unaffected, thanks to our quarterly arborist assessments, structural pruning every 18 months, and biannual fertilization. Without these efforts and our head arborist's vigilance, these trees would likely not have survived another severe storm.