The Tenacity of Life
The pic above is of a Hawthorn tree in one of the open areas where I work. It was hit by lightning the same year I started working here, back in 2010.
The tree did almost nothing for 2 years, I really don't know how it survived, but it did.
As you can see the core is almost totally burnt out, this is why the tree leans so much.
As many people know, almost all of the life of a tree happens in the roots, canopy and just under the bark layer. This is probably why the tree survived at all. The lightning must have come down and didn't damage the roots. that would have meant instant death.
You can clearly see the path the lightning took down an upper branch. The branch would have exploded as the gasses and liquids below the surface super heated and had nowhere to go.
Will the tree survive much longer? No. Not likely. Trees in this shape just don't have the strength or pathways to really put out leaves. And any more of a canopy and the sheer weight will cause it to collapse on itself unless it is propped up. Sadly this means that this tree will be marked for cutting down soon.
Personally I'm torn on whether to let it go until it falls, giving it a chance, or cut it now while it still has 'dignity'... If such a thing exists for trees.
It survived on its own for almost a decade. I think it did well.