Lightning Damage to Trees in Kansas City: Survival Odds, Removal, and Lightning Protection

Short answer: Many trees survive a lightning strike. A tree with a narrow strip of bark blown off, a full crown and good health before the strike has a good chance. A tree that lost bark all the way around, was split, or wilts over its whole crown within weeks usually dies, and a split tree near the house should be looked at right away.

Lightning hits tall trees all over the metro every summer. Some die within weeks, some live for decades with a scar. Here is what happens, how to judge a struck tree, and when it becomes a removal.

On this page (14 sections)

1. What Lightning Does to a Tree
2. Which Trees Survive
3. Signs a Struck Tree Is Dying
4. When It Becomes an Emergency
5. Lightning Protection
6. Insurance
7. What Removal Costs
8. Protecting the Rest of the Yard
9. Get a Straight Read
10. The First Weeks After a Strike
11. Damage You Cannot See
12. Which Trees Get Struck
13. Frequently Asked Questions
14. Related Reading

What Lightning Does to a Tree

The current runs through the wet layer just under the bark and can boil the sap instantly. That is what blows off a strip of bark, often in a spiral down the trunk. The visible damage is only part of it. Roots can be damaged too, and that does not show for months.

Which Trees Survive

A tree with a narrow strip of bark missing, a full crown and good health before the strike has a good chance. Oaks are struck often and many survive. A tree that lost bark all the way around, or was split down the middle, usually does not.

Signs a Struck Tree Is Dying

• Leaves wilting or browning over the whole crown within weeks
• Bark loosening on the trunk beyond the strike line
• No new leaves the next spring
• Cracks running deep into the trunk

When It Becomes an Emergency

A tree split by lightning, or with large limbs blown loose and hanging, can fail without more wind. If it is over the house, a drive or a walk, call right away. Our storm recovery service handles these, and our emergency response overview explains how.

Lightning Protection

For a valuable tree in an exposed spot, a lightning protection system with copper conductors and a ground rod is an option. Installation typically runs $1,500 to $5,000, depending on the tree height and how far the ground run goes.

Insurance

Homeowner policies usually pay when a struck tree damages the house, and for removing a tree that fell on a covered structure. A tree that dies standing is often not covered. Check your policy for a landscape allowance.

What Removal Costs

A struck tree is removed like any other damaged tree, with extra care because the wood may be cracked inside. Typical ranges in the metro run from $800 to $1,500 for a small tree to $2,500 to $4,500 for a large one, more with difficult access.

Protecting the Rest of the Yard

Water the struck tree and its neighbors in dry spells, keep heavy equipment off the root zone, and have the loose bark and broken limbs cleaned up so borers have less to work with. Sometimes a struck tree can be kept with cabling and bracing.

Get a Straight Read

Wait a few weeks if the tree is not a danger, then have an arborist look at it, or book a hazardous tree evaluation if it is near the house. We work all over the metro, including Overland Park and Leawood.

The First Weeks After a Strike

• Stay away from the tree during the storm and right after. Lightning can strike the same tree again.
• Look for hanging limbs and long cracks. Anything over the house, the drive or a walk gets dealt with first.
• Do not seal or paint the wound. Trees close wounds on their own, and sealants can trap moisture.
• Water deeply in dry weather and keep traffic off the roots.
• Watch the crown. Wilting or browning over the whole tree within a few weeks is a bad sign; a scar with green leaves above it is a good one.

Damage You Cannot See

Lightning can also damage the roots and the inside of the trunk without much showing outside. That is why some struck trees look fine for months and decline the next year, and why we suggest a second look the following spring for any big tree near the house that was hit.

Which Trees Get Struck

The tallest tree in the area, a tree standing alone in a yard or a field, and trees near water get hit most. Oaks, tall pines and cottonwoods are common targets. If you have one tall, valuable tree standing alone near the house, it is the one to think about protecting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a tree survive a lightning strike?

Often, if the strike left a narrow strip of missing bark and the tree was healthy before. Trees with bark blown off all the way around, a split trunk or wilting over the whole crown usually do not.

Should I remove a tree that was struck by lightning?

Not right away unless it is split, has hanging limbs or is a danger to the house. Wait a few weeks, watch the crown, and have it looked at.

Does insurance cover a tree struck by lightning?

Usually when the tree damages the house or falls on a covered structure. A tree that dies standing is often not covered.

Related Reading

• Tornado damage and your trees
• Hail damage on Kansas City trees

Kansas City Tree Care is a family-owned tree service in Kansas City, and our emergency line is answered 24/7 at 913-894-4767. Read our reviews on Google Maps, or see the homepage for everything we do.