Which combination of symptoms is typical of lightning injury to trees?

• A. Exposed Wood, Shredded Bark, Sudden Decline.
• B. Dense Foliage With Curling Leaves In Mid-Summer.
• C. Roots Rotting And A Mushy Trunk.
• D. Uniform Leaf Drop In Autumn.

Answer: (A)

Lightning injury produces immediate, dramatic changes on the trunk and bark. A strike can blast bark away and even shred it, exposing the underlying wood. The energy disrupts the tree’s vascular system, often causing a rapid decline in health or dieback soon after the strike. That combination—exposed wood, shredded bark, and sudden decline—fits what lightning damage typically looks like.

Dense foliage with curling leaves in mid-summer isn’t a hallmark of lightning and points more toward drought, heat, or herbicide or disease stress. Roots rotting with a mushy trunk suggests fungal decay or long-term moisture problems rather than a single electrical event. Uniform leaf drop in autumn is a normal seasonal change, not a sign of lightning injury.