Champaign, Ill.
– Most doctors advise against overexposure to the sun. Likewise,
trees are living organisms that also can suffer from sun damage –
especially when their tops have been removed.
Champaign, Ill. – Most doctors advise against overexposure to the sun. Likewise, trees are living organisms that also can suffer from sun damage – especially when their tops have been removed.
Topping is the indiscriminate cutting back of tree branches to stubs or lateral branches that are not large enough to assume the terminal role. Other names for topping include “heading,” “tipping,” “hat racking” and “rounding over.”
The most common reason for topping trees is size reduction to avoid hazards. However, topping is not a viable method of height reduction and makes trees more susceptible to the elements over the long run.
When tree tops are removed, the remaining branches and trunk are exposed to high levels of light and heat. The result may be sunburn of the tissues beneath the bark, which can lead to bark splitting and death of some branches.
Topping often removes 50 to 100 percent of the leaf-bearing crown of a tree. Since leaves serve as the “food factories” of a tree, topping can temporarily starve a tree. Topping can also ruin a tree’s aesthetic beauty. Without leaves for extended periods, topped trees often appear disfigured and mutilated. Moreover, they may never regain their natural form. Professional arborists can help determine alternatives to topping.
– The International Society of Arboriculture
