In the considerable body of lightning lore, certain tree species are commonly listed as more lightning-attractive than others. These include maple, ash, tulip tree, sycamore, poplar, oak, elm, pine, spruce and hemlock. Some of these species, like sycamore and tulip tree are likely targets because they tend to tower over other species. Pines and hemlocks may be lightning-prone because of the water that collects on their needles during thunderstorms. One theory explaining why oaks are commonly damaged during electrical storms is that the roughness of the bark prevents uniform trunk wetting, causing the current to jump from surface water to the water inside the trunk.
Human nature causes people to develop strong attachments to trees.
It is natural, therefore, to want to take immediate action to help an arboreal friend survive in the aftermath of a lightning strike. In most cases, however, there is little that can be done to help a tree recover. In rare cases when large pieces of bark are blown off intact, it may be possible to get it to reattach by tacking it back on and covering it with moist burlap and plastic. For any chance of success, the bark must not have dried out and should be placed back where it came from to maximize cambial contact. While this is an extreme long shot at best, it may make the person performing the operation feel better.