Fieldgrown Branch Loss?

[AboveBeyond]

Are the branch loss seen below natural or was it bitten off by an animal? It looks to be snapped or bitten off to me but I'm not sure if that's the case. I do have rabbits in the vicinity of where I ground planted the tree so in my head, I'm thinking it those darn rabbits! Thanks!

 

[lordy]

hard to see clearly, but those "breaks" look pretty clean! Deer?

 

[coh]

The damage to the second branch on the right looks like rabbit...the sharp, angled cut is typical. Look up something like "rabbit damage to plants" on google and you'll find additional information.

Chris

 

[AboveBeyond]

Those pesky wabbits!

http://uploads.neatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/bugs-bunnyreclining-499x367.jpg

I have an area where I ground plant my trees fenced. I just happen to plant this Hornbeam out of the fenced area due to lack of space. Now I know that I'll have to fence every tree I plant. Interestingly, I have another area 75feet away that's not fenced and those trees do fine. I suppose the rabbits know not to venture out that far.

 

[Martin Sweeney]

Above,

I get that kind of damage from either rabbits or deer. Unless I can find prints, I can hardly tell it apart. Either way, the tree should recover. The worst is when the deer pull newly planted stuff out while they are bitting branches off. They never finish the job, just leave a nicely pruned carcass to dry out if you don't inspect prior to heading out for the day...

Regards,
Martin

 

[M. Frary]

Looks like rabbit to me. I've got both deer and rabbits around my place. The deer tend to go for the ends of branches and leaves. The rabbits can and will eat them back like what happened to your tree and worse.

 

[Dav4]

I vote "rabbit". That clean, angled cut at the end of the branches is pretty typical for them.

 

[tmmason10]

I have had the same issue with a small JM I planted last year. I thought it was gone as it was chewed last fall, but I noticed a few leaves this spring. I covered it with a lobster pot as a cage and it grew well this summer. Well, I moved the lobster pot and it was pruned back to a stub again! Next year I'll probably through one of those tomatoe cages over it until it gets bigger.

 

[jkd2572]

Looks like he made the right cut backs.

 

[GrimLore]

Rabbits trimmed 20 or more Bald Cypress down from 18-24 inches to 6-8 inches two years ago and the marks they left were similar and clean. Deer trash stuff as they have very few teeth.

Grimmy

 

[lordy]

Rabbits trimmed 20 or more Bald Cypress down from 18-24 inches to 6-8 inches two years ago and the marks they left were similar and clean. Deer trash stuff as they have very few teeth.

Grimmy

I'm not familiar with either's chewing characteristics. I have but a 4 foot fence, so any deer worth their venison could jump it. I do know that rabbits have graced my property because my dogs go apeshit when I let them out, and I find bunnyturds here and there, but have never had any damage at all. I guess it's dogs:1, rabbits and deer:0

 

[edprocoat]

You sure it was not a rabid beaver?

ed