The morning after a storm – be it a local thunderstorm or a severe hurricane – people carefully leave their homes to assess the damage. If you live somewhere with trees, you will likely find at least some that are no longer standing, either on your property or nearby.
Although strong storms can break a living tree in half, many of the trees that topple over during thunderstorms or strong gusts of wind will rot, making them even more prone to falls. And while some trees are visibly decaying, others (like many of us) are crumbling inside. Here’s how to spot a rotting tree so you can tackle it in your own time, rather than after the next storm.
What happens when a tree rots?
Before a tree begins to rot, it is usually injured in some way – either in a storm, by an animal, in an accident, etc. – leaving exposed, damaged wood. Then a variety of different organisms migrate, including fungi, which begin to break down the wood inside the tree, weakening it, according to Tonya Barnett at. Garden know-how. The fungi then migrate to the other parts of the tree and leave a trail of rot.
What are the signs of a rotting tree?
The first thing you should know is that some trees rot more easily than others; especially coniferous tree species such as oak, Alexander Sherman, forester for Springfield City, Massachusetts, says WWLP.
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So what should you watch out for? Here are some signs of tree rot, courtesy of Sherman, as well as Mr. Tree Service from Portland, Oregon:
- Fungal growth on the outside of the trunk – especially around the base of the trees or on branches or trunks
- Missing bark or deep spots
- A crack in the trunk that looks more like “V” than “U”
- Be able to look into the trunk at an injury site
- Wilting leaves
- Tree growth slows down or stunted
- Dead branches on the ground around the tree
- Fine sawdust near the tree trunk
- Cracked sidewalks from uprooting
Can a Rotting Tree Be Saved?
Unfortunately not really. Once a tree has started to rot, it is best to remove the visibly damaged branches. When most of the tree has already decayed, it’s usually the only way to remove it – especially if you live in an area prone to storms or high winds (which seems basically everywhere at this point) to avoid possible damage from the rotting trees falling by themselves.
Also, pruning the infected parts of the tree “reduces the risk of the airborne fungus colonizing other trees nearby,” writes Barnett.
