Whether you're an avid gardener or just someone longing for that one beautiful tree to grace your yard, you have undoubtedly wondered whether your tree is dead.
While trees generally have a lifespan of about 150 years or even more, various factors influence a tree's longevity. Some trees succumb prematurely due to disease, lack of water, or exposure to harsh weather conditions. Other times the cause of death is more ambiguous.
If you're unsure about the health of your trees and whether or not they're dead, here are a few simple ways to tell.
Fungus Growth
Fungus growth on a tree is one of the most obvious dead tree indicators. The fungus can be white, gray, or yellow and usually appears on the trunk or branches of the tree. Fungus tends to grow on a dead or dying tree because it likes the moisture and nutrients available in the wood.
If you notice white, fluffy mold growing on the base of your tree, then it is likely dead. This is a sign of fungal infection, which can quickly spread to other trees if left untreated. This type of fungus works through the vascular system and roots, causing the leaves to be yellow and fall off.
When you have identified signs of fungal growth, it is important to note whether they are new or old. New growth indicates that the tree was recently dead and that animals or other causes will have introduced any fungi. Old fungal growth means that the tree has been dead for some time and that there is no need for immediate concern.
Check the Leaves
You can tell if a tree is dead or you have a sick tree by looking at its leaves.
If the tree's leaves are brown and dry and fall off, the tree is probably dead. Look for signs of green on the branches, as this means that there's still life in the tree. If only a few branches are green, you can try watering them every day for about two weeks until they're more established. If all of the branches are green, but the leaves aren't growing back yet, your tree might be dormant.
If the leaves are wilted and yellow, this may indicate that the tree is dying. However, this isn't always the case. Sometimes trees drop their leaves in the wintertime and then regrow new ones in the springtime. So while this may indicate that something is wrong with your tree, it isn't necessarily proof of death.
If there are no leaves on the tree, this is a sure sign that it's dead. However, if there are leaves on the trees, look at them closely to see if they are green or brown in color and how healthy they look overall.
Healthy leaves should be bright green and not wilted or discolored. Dead leaves will have a grayish appearance and will be wilted or curled up at the edges.
If your tree is losing its leaves prematurely, that could signify that it's sick or dying. However, leaf loss can also happen during certain seasons or after extreme weather events like storms or hurricanes. So when checking whether your tree has died, look at more than just the leaves.
Check for Damaged Roots
One of the ways you can tell a tree is dead or dying is by checking its root system. If the roots are damaged by disease or other issues, this can severely weaken the tree's ability to support itself. Look for loose soil around the base of the trunk and check for cracks or holes in the roots themselves.
If the tree is leaning, check the base of the trunk for signs of damage from foot traffic and lawnmowers. If there are any signs of injury, it could mean something wrong with the roots.
Also, if you find that your tree has been uprooted and its roots are exposed, it's dead. This can happen if the soil is disturbed during construction or the tree falls over during a storm. If this happens, you should remove the tree as soon as possible because it will attract insects and rodents, spreading diseases and damaging other plants in your garden.
If you find roots that are soft and mushy when touched, they may be rotting away underground from insect damage or other environmental conditions such as poor soil drainage or overwatering. If you notice any signs of rotting roots and discolored leaves on the ground around your tree's base, the whole thing will likely die soon unless action is taken immediately.
Perform a Tree Snap Step
A simple test called a "snapping" test can help you determine if your tree is still living or not. Basically, if the tree snaps in two when bent at its base while holding onto one end of it with both hands, it's still alive and well. When bent back and forth several times without snapping, then it's dead or dying.
When performing this test on a large tree, wear gloves and stand well clear of any branches that might snap back at you. The process involves tapping on the trunk with a mallet and listening for a hollow sound. If you hear one, the tree is alive. If not, the tree may have died or been killed by insects or disease.
The only time this method doesn't work is in cases where the bark has been removed from one side of the trunk, which can happen when people try to remove it from the ground. In this case, use another method to determine whether or not it's alive.
The benefit of using this test is that it doesn't require basic tools such as a good pair of pruning shears and a small pruning saw which most people have lying around their house somewhere.
Check for Bare Branches
If the tree is still alive, it will have green leaves in the spring. If you see dead branches, your tree is likely to be dead. However, if you notice a few bare branches at the top of a tree during winter, don't panic. This could be normal if there were an ice storm or other event that damaged those parts of the tree. Check back in the spring to see if those branches have leafed out again.
Dead branches will lose their leaves and become brittle over time. They're also easy to break off because they have lost the natural protectiveness of their bark.
Perform a Tree Scratch Test
A tree scratch test is a simple way to determine if a tree is dead or alive. You can use this method on any tree species, but it's especially effective on hardwoods like maple, elm, oak, and ash.
Trees have a cambium layer between the bark and the wood. The cambium produces new cells transported to the outside through xylem tubes. Cambium cells also transport nutrients from the leaves to the roots in phloem tubes.
To conduct the test, use a sharp knife or pruning shears to make a shallow cut into the bark about 6 inches above ground level. If your tree is alive, you'll see green or brown sap oozing from the cut within five minutes.
If there's no sign of life after five minutes, leave the knife in place for an hour before making another cut at a different location on the trunk. This second cut aims to check for any remaining sap since it may have dried up before reaching the first cut site. The second cut should also reveal no signs of life if your tree has died completely.
Damage to the Trunk
When a tree dies back from its top-down, the trunk will appear hollowed out at the base when viewed from inside the tree. If you split open a section of this hollowed-out area, you'll find it filled with rotten wood.
Look for other signs of decay, such as holes chewed by wood-boring beetles or holes bored by termites which sometimes leave piles of sawdust, cracks in the bark, or branches that have fallen off due to rot at their bases.
Bottom Line
Knowledge is power, and if you know what to look for regarding dead trees, you are now in control of your property and any situation that may arise with trees on other buildings. This can be an important life or death matter when there are falling trees into your roof or onto your house as they can cause severe damage.
At first glance, an entire tree may look inanimate and harmless, but it may be quite dangerous if dead. A dying or dead tree can be easily uprooted by strong winds, crashing onto homes and cars below. Additionally, dead trees can be a fire hazard because the wood is dried out and easier to ignite.
Take the time to learn these great tips on how to tell if a tree is dead, and use them the next time you see an ailing plant! It is also important to contact a tree service when you are uncertain if your tree is dead or alive. Remember, one mistake could lead to even more issues, not to mention a huge cost.