Having the right flora in front of your house can impress everyone who drives past it. Everything from flowers to bushes, if kept nicely, will keep that impression for years to come. This includes trees.
With trees, it can be difficult to know when exactly it was planted and how old it is, especially if it came with your house. So it’s possible that your tree is dying. See more Grapevine arborists for safe tree removal
A dying tree can look unappealing and can be a potential danger. So how do you know when it’s dying? Well, let’s take a look.
Not Quite Straight
When you think of trees, the image in your head is likely straight and well postured. This posture is a sign of a healthy tree. Leaning trees, however, are the opposite.
A leaning trunk can be a sign of wind or root damage. Leaning trees can also pose a danger to others depending on where it’s located as it could eventually fall over. The trees falling branches could fall on people, homes, or even cars.
Typically, trees affected by wind are unlikely to recover. Just because your tree isn’t completely straight doesn’t necessarily mean it’s dying though. But if it’s about 15 degrees from where it once was, then it’s time has come.
If you’re unsure if the tree is dying or if it’s simply how it is, then contact someone experienced in tree care to give it a look.
Look For Deadwood
Given the name, deadwood is a clear sign of a dead or dying tree. Luckily, identifying deadwood from regular wood is quite easy.
Deadwood, if not already off the tree, will look different from regular wood. While regular wood is normally a healthy, bright green, deadwood is much duller, often looking dark green or brown. To truly find out if your tree has deadwood, snap off a twig or two and peel away some of the bark.
The peeling of the bark itself will be a sign if it’s dead or not. If easily peeled, it’s likely dead and if not then you’ve got a healthy tree. Once peeled away, look for the same coloration, bright green for healthy and dull for dead.
Lack of Foliage
When sick or dying, the foliage on the tree will thin and cease. If you’re familiar with the tree in question, you can judge this based on how it used to look. If not, then try to determine what kind of tree it is.
Looking at pictures of the type of tree in its prime will also give you a good idea of where it’s at in its lifetime. Of course, a complete lack of foliage is a good indicator that your tree is dying or is dead.
Insects and Fungus
The increase of insects and fungi is another sign of the decline of your tree. The presence of insects and fungi itself is not a definite sign of a dying tree, especially insects as trees usually host a variety of wildlife. But an increase of both, whether it be at the base of the tree or its trunk can be a sign of internal rotting.
Removing a Dying Tree
A dying tree is no fun for anyone involved, especially the tree. But like all living things, it may just be it’s time to go. Contacting an arborist to check out your tree and remove it if it’s dead may be in your best interest if the tree in question shows some of these signs.
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