A tree under stress will suffer a shortened lifespan. It can be allowed to decay and die, or it can be removed. How can homeowners note signs of a tree’s shortened lifespan, as displayed by indications that it is under stress?
Indicators of stress, as displayed by affected trees:
Are there dead or dying branches in the tree’s crown? Whenever dead or dying branches appear in the location, the observed tree has displayed a sign that it is undergoing a marked level of stress.
Is that large, branching plant leaning to one side? Sometimes forces of nature do cause a tree to start leaning, such as when it grows from a sprout on a hillside. Still, a sudden change in a tree’s position does introduce a marked level of stress. Are any of the tree’s branches extending out towards a power line? That growth could aid creation of a stressful situation.
Other signs that homeowners should make note of:
True, not every leaf on one particular type of tree takes on the same shape. Still, an arborist that studies the shape of different trees’ leaves will know that the leaf of any one type does assume a shape that resembles the one taken by all the other leaves. Hence, misshapen protrusions/leaves from twigs on a limb indicate the existence of some factor that has infected the leaf-bearing tree.
It is also true that a leaf’s color changes in the autumn. Yet if that color changes before the Fall season, it sends the same message as a misshapen leaf. It indicates that the tree is diseased.
Are there any holes in the trunk? If so, schedule a visit from tree removal service in Palo Alto that know about what sort of pests can attack different trees.
• Has the normal amount of leaf-cover thinned? That is not a good sign. Unlike a human’s thinning hair, a tree’s thinning cover should not be seen as a sign of aging. All healthy trees have a long life.
• Are there any cracks or splits in the trunk? That sight signals a crack in the tree’s ability to withstand stress. Once that ability has been compromised, the plant’s lifetime has been markedly shortened.
• Are there fungi growing at the plant’s base? Fungi generally grow on organic matter that has started to decay. Hence, fungi can alert a homeowner to the hidden decay in a root system.
• Are there sprouts emerging from that same base? Those are signs of a compromised root system. In other words, the roots’ ability to function properly has been weakened.
As a smart homeowner, you need to respond to any of those signs. Of course, it can be hard to remove a beloved tree, but sometimes it has to be done.