No matter how well you take care of your landscaping, you may still end up having to deal with a dead tree. Everything from pests to unusual weather patterns can wreak havoc on trees, leading to premature death. And sometimes a tree simply lives out its life cycle, and there is nothing you can do to save it. During winter, when trees are bare, it can be especially difficult to tell if your tree is dead or simply hibernating. Here are some tips to help you tell if your tree is dead.
The branches are brown and brittle.
If you’re wondering if your tree is dead, you can take a look at the branches to tell. Simply break off a small branch and take a look at its interior. A health branch will be green and moist on the inside, no matter what time of year it is. A dead branch, however, will be dry, brown, and brittle. If you find a dead branch, try another branch as well in a different area of the tree. It isn’t unusual to lose a few branches here and there, but if branches across your entire tree are dead, chances are the tree either dead or dying as well.
You have mushrooms or fungus growing on your tree.
Occasional mushroom or fungus growth around the base of your tree can be normal. But if you have either growing up your tree, or if they are particularly bad, this can be a sign of a dying tree. Mushrooms and fungus love to grow in decaying wood, so seeing too much of either of these can mean that your tree has dead areas in it, and is either dead or dying.
The bark on your tree is peeling or cracking.
The bark on a tree serves to protect it from pests and weather, shielding it from damage. So when you start seeing changes in the bark, this can be a sign of disease. Cracking can mean that an issue is just beginning and can be treated. But peeling bark that creates bare spots on the trunk is more indicative of tree death.
The trunk is beginning to lean to one side.
If your tree has always leaned to one side, chances are that it is totally fine. But if you’ve noticed a gradual or sudden change, this can be a sign of a serious problem. Trees can begin to lean if there is a problem with their root system. Even if the rest of the tree seems healthy, it can present a serious falling hazard.
While it can be difficult to make the decision to remove a tree, if you believe one of your trees is dying, you should take care of it as soon as possible. Dead and dying trees are very unstable. A big storm, or even just letting it go for too long, can lead to a tree falling and possibly causing damage to your property. If you’re concerned that one of your trees is dead or dying, have them inspected immediately by our professional arborists. We can assess the condition of the tree, recommend treatment if possible, and give you a fee quote for removal so that you do not have to worry about damage to your home.