Eucalypts often drop their lowest limbs,summer branch drop, this I believe, is a part of the trees built in design to do away with less productive foliage as the tree reaches to the stratosphere. Remember, these forrest giants Blue Gums, Black Butt, Flooded Gum which are really comon on the mid north coast NSW Australia, are in tite comunitys where lower limbs get shaded. In the Urban forrest however, we are inclined to remove the lower limbs before the tree decides to. This can be a real guess at times, especialy when the client is (arborphobic)and would rather see the tree gone simply because its too tall. Removing lower limbs can aften leave the tree depleated of sufficient photosynthesising biomass that unltimately the tree declines. I know the answere to this question can be site specific, but Im interested in others approach to the problem.

Reply to post by Ned, on February 13, 2000 at 01:57:22:

Ned,
From research material I have collected to date,
the lower branches do not form the bulk of
sudden limb failures on eucalypts species.
I believe that water deficits, shading, pruning,
environmental stresses and a genetic pre
disposition may be combined to cause the
unannounced failure of branches.
Any comments welcomed

Leigh Stone