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Car Fire Heat Damage to Trees: Scratch Test Recovery

Your weeping willow, palm, and ivy scorched by car fire heat 3 weeks ago. Use the scratch test to find live tissue.

Scratch Test

Start at top branches.
Scrape bark: Green = alive, Brown = dead.
Work down until green found.
Prune off all dead (brown) wood.

By Plant

Willow & Ivy: Test works well. Resprout from live wood.
Palm: Different—check bud (center top). Green bud = alive. No resprout from trunk.

Insurance Angle

If car wasn't yours (or even if it was), file claim with driver's auto insurance for "property damage—landscaping." Insurers often pay for tree replacement after fire/collision.

Care Now

Water deeply weekly.
Mulch.
No fertilizer.
Wait for resprout (weeks to months).

Fire-scorched plants often recover if roots survived. Test, prune, wait.

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