10/17/2026
I passed 3 or 4 broken limbs on the ground in Richardson today. Every one came off a tree somebody pruned wrong.
Winds ran 30 to 40 mph, with gusts near 50. This limb came down next to the street. The red oak above it has more limbs like it hanging over the road, and the next one could land on a person or a car.
Someone stripped the inside of the tree and left the leaves out on the tips of long, skinny branches. That's lion's tailing. A branch like that catches wind like a sail and snaps in the middle.
Proper pruning takes weight off the ends and leaves the inside growth alone. It takes longer. Wind, rain and ice are all coming this fall and winter, and the stripped trees are the ones that drop limbs.
Look up at your trees. If the inside is bare and the leaves sit at the tips, call us before the next storm. Know a neighbor with a tree like this? Send them this video.
Scott Smith, Owner, Joshua Tree Experts. ISA Certified Arborists on every crew.
Free arborist consultation: (972) 962-9640
Music: "Wounded" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), CC BY 4.0