Some of the biggest tree failures we see don't come from disease or storms at all, they come from how the tree grew its trunk in the first place, long before anyone was paying close attention to it.
A codominant stem is when two main trunks grow from nearly the same point instead of one strong leader. Where the two stems meet, bark often gets pinched between them instead of fusing together solidly, creating a weak spot arborists call included bark.
Maples around Frederick County develop this pattern often, and that weak union can hold for years before splitting apart during an otherwise ordinary summer storm, sometimes taking half the canopy down with it and landing squarely on whatever is underneath.
Have you ever noticed a tree in your yard with two big trunks splitting close to the ground, almost like the tree simply couldn't decide which way it wanted to grow?
#FrederickCountyArborist
A photo of a real tree showing a codominant trunk or visible included bark seam, or a crew member inspecting a trunk union on a job site.
Canva text suggestion: "Two Trunks, One Weak Point" or "A Hidden Risk in Your Maple"