Sometimes the symptoms of tree decay are obvious. Leaves fail to appear in the spring. Large swaths of bark disappear from the trunk. Branches become dry and riddled with holes from wood-boring pests.
But other times, it’s less clear when trees are in poor health. Signs of internal rot include mushrooms growing on brittle bark, branches falling off, and discolored leaves.
Decaying trees can be dangerous! Trees near the end of their lives are more likely to be knocked over during storms or by significant gusts and should be removed if they pose any danger to property or people.
The responsibility falls on the homeowner to maintain or remove dead or hazardous trees. It’s recommended that homeowners and business owners survey their property for any obvious signs of decaying trees and call tree removal firm to check if they may be in distress.
Other signs that a tree may be decaying include:
- Dead leaves clinging to branches of deciduous trees through the winter. On healthy trees, they should fall to the ground.
- A tree that is beginning to lean, or has bare branches on one side, may have root damage.
- Vertical cracks, or seams, on the trunk.
- Areas of smooth wood where bark has fallen off. In healthy trees, new bark would grow in its place.
- Small branches sprouting from the base of a tree.
Many residents often overlook such warning signs. It can be frustrating for neighbors when people want to spend more money on their grass than on their trees; they want to look down instead of up. Trees are a lot more expensive to take care of. But it can be a real tragedy when homeowners don’t take care of them.
Do you have trees that need to be removed? Give Case Mountain Tree Service a call for a free estimate today.