Trees are living organisms, which means they are susceptible to diseases, parasites, injuries, and eventually death. Unstable or diseased trees can cause serious risks to the safety of homes and other structures, residents or occupants, and other nearby, healthy specimens. The best way to avoid unnecessary risks is to keep an eye on all the trees in a landscape and look for signs it’s time to have them removed before branches start to fall or diseases begin to spread.
Crown Dieback
Most people know that deciduous trees shed their leaves in the fall and grow them back in the spring. If the regrowth looks different and certain areas of the tree’s crown have few or no leaves, that’s a good sign of illness. Instead of allowing the tree to continue to weaken and possibly spread disease to other nearby specimens, call to schedule Professional Tree Removal.
Mushrooms at the Tree’s Base
Some types of mushrooms grow in symbiosis with trees. Others are saprophytic, meaning they feed on dead or dying tissue. If property owners notice large colonies of mushrooms growing on trees’ trunks, especially near the base, that can be a sign of root dieback from parasitic fungi such as honey mushrooms.
Some beneficial mushrooms also colonize forest floors and lawns beneath trees, so it’s worth asking a professional. If the mushrooms are a parasitic species, though, property owners should have the affected trees removed immediately to prevent their spread. If they’re saprophytic, that means the tree is already dying or dead and should also be taken down.
Damaged Bark
Trees may be able to heal minor damage to their bark, especially if it occurred as a result of trauma rather than disease or sun damage. However, deep cracks and gouges are a different matter entirely. Often referred to by industry insiders as cankers, these cracks can indicate that the tree’s trunk has been weakened by fungi or trauma and is about to break or split, which can create a seriously dangerous situation if property owners aren’t prepared. It’s best to have the tree removed before it can fall on a nearby structure.
Dead Branches
A few dead branches on the ground surrounding an otherwise healthy-looking tree shouldn’t cause property owners too much alarm. However, if there are many dead branches on the tree or on the ground, that’s usually a sign that the tree is sick. Trees shed branches when they are sick or dying in an attempt to route valuable resources to the most essential areas.
When this happens, the branches fall off, compromising the tree’s stability and increasing the chances that it will fall. In most cases, the tree is dying anyway. It makes more sense to have it taken down than to wait until it creates an unnecessarily dangerous situation.
Always Hire a Professional
No matter why property owners want to have a tree removed, it’s never a DIY affair. Tree removal is dangerous and should only be performed by trained professionals. Working with an arborist also gives landowners a chance to have trees evaluated for potential health problems, so don’t hesitate to schedule an inspection.
