Topped My Cryptomeria – Will It Get Its Shape Back

Q: My tree company misunderstood my instructions and topped my cryptomeria. Now it looks silly. Will it eventually get its shape back?

A: Can you somehow reach the top of the tree? If there is a clean cut above a healthy branch you can use a piece of bamboo or a broomstick to make a splint. Use strips of cloth to tie the bottom half of the splint to the existing tree trunk. Gently bend one of the nearby horizontal limbs into a vertical orientation and softly tie it to the top half of the splint. It doesn’t have to be exactly vertical, just close enough to stimulate the limb to head for the sky. It might look odd for a while but after a few years I don’t think you’ll notice the repair.