Trees bring shade and beauty to a residential landscape, but they can easily become a liability if they are dying or are dead. Dead trees are not just eyesores, they can pose a significant threat to the safety of you and your family if they are close to your house. The key here is to spot a dying or a dead tree at the right time. However, it is not an easy task since a tree may appear to be fine on the outside.
There are plenty of warning signs when a tree becomes diseased or is already dead. Take a look at some of them:
#1 Bark abnormalities
The bark is essential for the survival of a tree. The visible part keeps the moisture in and the infection out. The Bark also helps protect the core of the trunk from scorching by the sun or drying by the wind. It also helps keep fungal infections away. As a tree grows, it goes through a natural shedding process with layers of bark thickening and falling away from the trunk. However, if the tree bark peels excessively, a tree may not maintain the necessary nutrients and could die. For instance, the exposed layer heals quickly in a healthy birch tree, but it invites other problems in a disease-ridden tree.
#2 Branches are brittle and falling
You can easily spot a healthy tree by looking at its branches. A tree that’s in good shape has flexible branches that don’t break off. However, if you spot that a lot of branches have fallen, or they easily snap off, your tree may be dying. Brown and brittle leaves during the growing season and branches holding onto dead leaves are also signs of a dying tree. If a branch doesn’t have any bark, then it indicates deadwood. In many cases, the deadwood can pose a serious risk to others.
#3 Insect infestation
If your tree has an infestation and disease, it will start to show you signs in different ways. Many insects feed and make their homes in the bark, trunks, and branches of trees and shrubs. A weakened, damaged, and dying tree makes it easy for most insect borers to attack it and cause further decline. Other invaders include termites, carpenter bees, and carpenter ants. For instance, holes in the bark, boring dust, or “chewing” sounds indicate the presence of bark beetles and borers.
#4 Conks and mushrooms on the tree
If you see a large number of mushrooms growing at the base of your tree, it’s a warning sign that roots are rotten. If you see conks, also called shelf fungi or bracket fungi, growing on the tree bark, it shows that the tree is infected with a rot-inducing pathogen. Some varieties of mushrooms cause a healthy tree to rot at the heart of the trunk. Trees suffering from improper pruning, windstorms, fire, and other damage, can easily make fungi grow in the wound area. Such growth consistently weakens the tree’s wood strength, thus increasing the danger of large limbs falling without warning.
#5 Leaning trees
A leaning tree is a sign that it is eventually going to fall. A change in the architecture of the tree also indicates that it may be infected by some disease. A tree without sturdy roots will never achieve healthy growth. If the lean is caused by pests or disease, the tree may lean to one side gradually. It is important to remember that if a lean is less than 15 degrees, the tree should survive; however, if it is over 15 degrees, it may result in the tree's death.
About Seacoast Tree Care
If you are looking for certified arborists to take care of your tree removal needs, Seacoast Tree Care is your one-stop destination. We offer a complete range of tree care and removal services in New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. We are experts in tree pruning, cabling, fertilizing, preservation, pest control, and root collar excavation.
To get information, call us at 603-431-0101 or 978-225-6644, or email us at info@seacoasttreecare.com.
To get information, call us at 603-431-0101 or 978-225-6644, or email us at info@seacoasttreecare.com.
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