AUSTIN, Texas — The ice and freezing temperatures that Central Texas has seen recently can have an impact on your trees, but one expert said the damage caused this year will be much less than last year's winter storm.
Dr. David Appel, professor and extension specialist in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at Texas A&M University, said it's all about timing.
"Generally, the trees go into a period of acclimation in the fall in which they prepare themselves for cold weather. And then, after they're fully prepared for the cold weather, then the types of storms that we have in Texas usually are not too damaging," said Dr. Appel.
Last year, trees had started to acclimate a little bit by the time the February storm occurred. This year, since the winter storm hit earlier and lasted less time, we will likely see much less tree damage.
Dr. Appel said when it comes to taking care of your trees, the types of tree you have matters. Different trees have different susceptibility to cold.
"Palm trees at any time aren't going to be very susceptible to the cold because they don't acclimate very well, whereas our live oaks are pretty hardy when it comes to the types of storms that we have in Texas," said Dr. Appel.
For those looking to plant trees that can handle the weather, he recommends looking at the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map. That site can help you make sure you're planting the proper tree on the proper site.
Things to look for when it comes to damage in your trees include having dead branches or discoloration. Dr. Appel recommends getting a certified arborist to properly prune your tree, saying, "when I say a tree needs to be well pruned, it means that dead branches should be taken out, weak branches should be taken out. And this takes a trained eye to be able to pick these sorts of things out."
He added that it's very difficult to protect a large, mature tree from freeze damage other than to make sure it's healthy.
As for the next steps, Dr. Appel said to wait a few months to see if your tree is going to recover before taking any action on having them pruned or removed.
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