I have this tree on one of my properties which was hit by a car. I just wanted to get some perspective about whether or not the tree will be able to survive this type of damage or if will need to be taken down. I'm still waiting for the person's info from the PD to see what they have for insurance. Luckily I spent some time in an insurance claims department so I know what needs to be done and what to ask for, but I'd like to get some preliminary info.

I believe there are steps you can take in increasing its chances of surviving. I know there are sprays made just for that to help protect tree.

Just an observation, but that tree looks like it's been hit in a similar manner previously.

That seems pretty severe, but probably not deadly. The vertical seem in the tree (not from the accident) is never a good sign for the health of any tree. What kind of a tree is it, a maple?

I would say it will survive for now. Eventually there will be rot in that open gap from past damage but the tree could last decades. From the looks of things it was hit harder in the past. Not sure what is behind it, but that tree looks like it has stopped two vehicles so far in it's life. If you take the tree down a vehicle will at some point go well past that area would be my guess.

Reminds me of an area I knew as a teenager. There was a county road that went for many miles. All of a sudden it has a stop sign at a T intersection. If you didn't stop and go left or right you would have a big ass two hundred year old tree in your way to stop you. It seemed like it got hit at least 4 times a year. It it probably killed a junkyard or two full of cars in its life and who knows how many people.

I’d think it could linger awhile, out a handful of years+. I read an article years back, one point it stated is one can get an idea of tree health by timeline for leaves changing in the Fall. Of course deciduous trees, where it applies.

I’ve since seen it myself, stressed & unhealthy trees change color and lose leaves earlier. There have been several, change early, then are dead a few years later. That’s compared to the same species of trees nearby.

If it’s not in a hazardous area, maybe just keep an eye on it. I guess if it’s an insurance claim one may want to develop an earlier plan. I just don’t think it’s going to up & die right away.

Buy some rubberized undercoating. Spray it on with good coverage. Respray as needed. I learned that one from a friend that was a tree MD.

Hire a pro to come out and look at it, turn in a claim for his/her work...give it the platinum quality treatment...and the value of the tree to the insurance company along with what it would cost to remove. Wood is damn expensive now and that tree is worth a few grand.

We had a 60" oak hit a few decades ago. The tree is nearly 200 years old, I counted rings on a sister tree and stopped at 140 and it was about 1/2 the size. Anyway, the tree is doing fine, but you can still see the exposed wood/damage 20+ years later.

Take some of the money and have a few very large rocks placed between it and the road, problem solved permanently.

There is a red maple in front of my house that was hit by a landscapers truck working near by. I know the irony.

Two years later the tree is fine. The place where it was hit has turned dark but otherwise no change to the tree.

There is stuff you can put on it to help it heal.

The tree in front of my house is town property (I think) so I just left it alone.

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There is stuff you can put on it to help it heal.

This isn't why you paint the wound. The reason for the asphalting coating is to discourage bugs from laying their eggs in the wound, especially borers. These nasty little buggers eat the living xylem under the bark and can easily kill the tree. You see them often in residential settings where lawn mowers have bruised the bark of a small ornamental tree causing cankers and other problems sometimes years after the original injury.

It looks like the 2nd time the tree has been hit by a vehicle. I don't know anything about tree healing, but if it were me I'd be investing in some landscaping boulders.

My grandparents used to live in the country on a corner lot with 4-way stop with one road 55 mph and the other 45 mph. They had a car come into their living room. Grandpa had a sudden interest in landscaping that involved boulders and it never happened again. Lots of drivers did their worst but never defeated the boulders.

Luckily the home is 150' from the street so no real chance of hitting the house .

I had a car zoom past me at work (I had to get out of the way) and slammed into a tree about 5 years ago (it was June 21 or 22, 2016), worse damage than that, car was completely totaled. Tree is still standing, but still hasn't completely recovered the missing bark.

My son is a forester and visiting. He suggests let it be and see. Any fungal spores will have already invaded the wood-the sealant at this point is more aesthetic than functional. Best indicator will be reactive growth around the wound. If its vigorous it should make it. Of course this is very species dependent. Looking at the large seam on the trunk, if there is little to no reactive growth it may need to come out.