Distressed homeowner seeks advice after making major mistake with trees: 'I would be very upset with this'

A heartbreaking photo shared to the r/Arborists subreddit showcased topped trees with a slim likelihood of growing back to their once flourishing state.

After trimming the tree because of a fear that the trees were getting worryingly large, the original poster asked: "Will these trees grow back? Should I just cut down the whole tree."

"They were enormous and worrisome if they managed to somehow fall, so I had them cut down," explained the OP in the comments.

A community of arborists came to the rescue, giving helpful and blatant advice.

"Hard to tell from this pic alone, but basically, limbs/stem/trunk that start to get over 4 inch diameter really no longer 'grows' from the center," wrote an expert.

The commenter continued that as time passes, the xylem and phloem (vascular tissues in plants that transport water, nutrients, and food throughout the plant) expand with the width of the tree, resulting in growth.

In short, growth is difficult or sometimes impossible without the health of the outermost area where the xylem and phloem work.

Major trimming mistakes such as these can be found across the globe. Authorities and homeowners are sometimes unaware of the consequences of such extreme trimming, which can kill the tree. 

The expert mentioned that while the size of the tree is a risk factor, the way it was cut is not conducive to regeneration. 

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"A reduction pruning of the crown would have been much better. Not removal of all the crown," they said. About the hacked trees, the commenter said that they "would be very upset with this."

When it comes to trimming any plant, it is beneficial to do so in a way that encourages natural flourishing. Such is the case in native gardens that last year-round with minimal upkeep, as they utilize plants' natural resilience within their native spaces to regrow.

In the case of these trees, the arborists in this subreddit recommended removing them and replanting them with trees that are native to the area, which will help the ecosystem and save the OP money and time.

"Most people would suggest to just remove and replant," said the commenter.

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