You invest a lot of time, effort and money into your trees and landscaping. The last thing you want is a dead or dying tree in your yard and a potentially costly removal on the horizon. You may be noticing something is wrong with your tree and searching for “tree doctor near me” thinking the worst. There are a few key features to look for to tell if your tree is dead or dying, and what to do about it. 

Signs of a dead or dying tree

Determining the state of your tree is important. If it is sick and dying, you may be able to save it with quick intervention. If it is already dead you still need to act quickly to remove the safety risk. 

If you are worried about your tree you can do a quick test to check if your tree is still alive. Scratch off a piece of a branch with a knife. If it is green and moist, it is still alive. 

To check if your tree is dead:

• Look for cracks and peeled off bark around the trunk
• See if there are mushrooms growing at the base of the tree 
• Look for signs of fungus
• Check for branches missing leaves or that look like they will fall

If you notice these signs, your tree is likely dead. A dead tree is a potential safety hazard and needs to be removed quickly before it falls and damages your property or hurts someone. 

If your tree is showing signs of life but you think something is wrong, call your local tree doctor to intervene and hopefully it is not too late to save your precious tree. 

Call the tree doctor: saving your tree

Perhaps your tree contracted some sort of fungus or infection or was damaged in a storm—but you knew something just wasn’t quite right. You checked your tree and it seems to still be alive! With quick action and the right treatment, a skilled tree doctor near you may be able to save it. 

An arborist will be able to assess your tree and look for signs of damage or infection to determine the root of the problem. After determining what is wrong and what the damage is, the tree doctor will be able to decide on the best course of action to save your beloved tree. If it is some sort of infection or infestation they will be able to prescribe the right pesticide or fungicide to clear it up. If the problem is being caused by physical damage, removing problematic branches or repairing damaged bark may just do the trick. 

Your vigilant eyes don’t lie. If you think something is wrong with your tree, there is likely a good reason for it. Whether your tree is sick, damaged, dying or already dead, search for “tree doctor near me” as soon as possible. A trained arborist can do an assessment and see what can be done to save it or remove the potential hazard.