we need to ID them.. need closer pix ..

also where are they ...

if you removed a large tree that was shading them.. one would expect them to become more vigorous .... not only from more sun.. but lack of water competition ...

if it was done recently ... they may also burn a bit..

need the pix and ID to much further ...

ken

Based on the blurry pictures, and northern tier states type of architecture...my wildest stab in the dark is that these are hemlocks with woolly adelgid. Almost a complete guess though.

Ha! now I see in your other post you are somewhere in Northeast PA. Pretty good guess. I was specifically thinking somewhere from Michigan over to Toronto, over to western MA.

ouch. My apologies for not identifying my location. zone 6. northeast PA.

The center tree was cut down less than a month ago. I was thin but the 3 were interwoven

I don't know what kinda evergreen tree this is. Prob 40 years old. How do I figure that out? I ran out and took a a couple of photos, but it is raining cats and dogs and getting dark. I can get more in am. Thank you for looking

it looks like come sort of cedar to me, I would have them removed and replaced with something else. typically it is hard to get a mature tree (especially evergreen) to fill out. Cedar are easy to grow from transplants, you may find one on a local roadside or in your neighbor's ditch.

davidrt28 - interesting guess on my local! Could this be cypress?

Well, so much for them being sick hemlocks! They are just mangy look cedars. (arborvitae) These are typical of plants that have been poorly maintained throughout their lives. The forking trunks are bound to cause problems sooner or later in a climate with periodic intense storms. You could remove them based on this, or not...but make sure you don't repeat the same mistake. Sheesh, can't we take a 1/2 day out of "common core" here and there and train young minds on the most basic, obvious aspects of horticulture? If you see a small conifer with a bifurcated trunk, fix it! The one on the left clearly had the problem when planted. Likewise, not every tree that sprouts is a magical gift from a deity that should be allowed to grow. etc. etc.

I guess there are condos and not apartments, or you wouldn't care?

Caldwell Home & Garden. I think your right, Cedar. Matches overall shape better.

Suggestions on how to hang on to them for a few more years? I just removed 5 diseased crabapples on the same slope and want to let replacements mature a bit before taking these down, if I must.

You generally can't fix split leaders on specimens this old, of weak wooded plants like this. I had a large Juniperus where 1/2 of the split fell in a winter storm. Next summer the other half came down. As I said you don't have to remove them...maybe better to plant replacements and take better care of them.

davidrt28 - I do have 6 or so sick hemlocks (I think), so you are close. And yes. Condos

WAG, Chamaecyparis sp. Don't age all that well in the NE and don't release all that well either.

kentrees12 - If I want to hang onto them a few more years - trim? remove branches? even out?

Sure, you can trim them. The tallest has a lot of dead that can be removed, but that would leave a lot of bare trunk. The branches can be cut back to make the trees more compact, it would take a bucket truck I would think. But you run the risk of a "bad haircut".

If it were me I'd remove the dead stuff and limb up anything that is blocking the access route to the building or making it hard to mow beneath the trees. The live stuff that has been exposed to more light will slowly begin to grow back, but it will take a while. I'd leave the crown alone. Don't be tempted to fertilize to help them along, they'll do it on their own. Good luck!

are you the owner.. or the association guy???

i would not invest a lot of MY money on hope and prayer ... but i would give them a year or two.. to see how they respond ...

ken