The Streets Dept. staples notices regarding street closures on the trees here in East Falls. Is this detrimental to the tree?
Answer
Dear Concerned Gardener: In general, staples in the tree trunk will not do any damage as the staples will penetrate only 1/8"-1/4" into the bark. This is not harmful for mature trees with fairly thick bark. However, if the tree is a young sappling with shallow, if any bark, there is a greater chance of damage as the staples might penetrate to the vessels that carry water and nutrients. The staples would cause damage only if many staples were used on the sappling tree.