Trimming epicormic branches

[mike_belben]

Just curious here as im doing tsi on a homesite my young children will inherit as a tiny model stand of appalachian hardwood someday.

Lets say you have a really straight and tall stem of a good species, white oak or walnut, maybe a really nice red oak in the 10 or 12" dbh range.. But its got some tiny epicormic branching thats just started, stuff you could clean off with a pocket knife..

What will be the result 40 yrs from now?  Will they continue to branch, or become infections or insect sites.. Or actually scab over and become 4SC veneer or stave grade logs?

Not askin if its "worth it"  .. Just wanna know what the wood will do.

[WDH]

They will be in the wood as pin knots unless the epicormic branches die, fall off, and the stubs are overgrown with successive growth rings of wood.  They typically do not make large branches on the bole of the tree.