Professional Tree Removal Lancaster, PA | Douglas Tree Service

The tree shows signs of damage or decay

When a tree is damaged or decaying, its structural integrity is often compromised. Keeping the tree any longer may prove unsafe, especially if the tree is near the home.

If your tree shows the following warning signs of damage or decay, it might be time to say goodbye:

• • Vertical cracks in the trunk

• • Abnormal bark peeling

• • Dead branch stubs

• • Visible wounds or open cavities

• • Severe damage to the trunk

• • Broken wood from a lightning strike

If your tree took a beating during a storm, it’s a good idea to have us inspect it. A certified arborist at Douglas Tree Service can determine the extent of the damage and decide whether to recommend removing the tree.

Is the tree hollow

The hollow hole in the tree’s trunk might make a fun family photo, but it’s a sign your tree is weakening or has internal decay.

Falling tree limbs might also expose hollow cavities, which make ideal homes for owls and squirrels. So if you see some fluffy heads poking out of your tree, that’s a sign your tree may be hollow.

Pro Tip: Signs of a hollow tree aren’t always visible. You can test for hollowness by tapping areas of the tree with a rubber mallet (this is called sounding a tree). This is a simple way to check the tree on your own, but it’s always wise to have our tree care expert test the tree, too, as we’re trained to detect the slightest differences in sound.

Dead branches

Dead branches may be a sign that your tree is suffering from a disease, pest, or other stressors. The occasional dread branch is no cause for alarm (that’s what tree pruning is for), but a tree with several dead limbs or if a branch shows no sign of life, it’s probably dead. Here’s how you can tell if a branch is alive:

The bark is intact and firmly attached to the branch

The branch is flexible –– a dead branch will snap with ease

The branches have foliage and buds during the growing season

When you lightly scrape the branch, the layer underneath is green

Large, dead branches can prove hazardous in the landscape, as a gust of wind can easily send them crashing down. A heavy layer of snow also can snap off dead branches like a toothpick.

Pro Tip: Keep an eye out for branches that rub together. If they rub together or intertwine, they may create open wounds that expose the tree to disease.

Does the tree have a fungal disease

Those mushrooms growing on the base of the tree sure do look suspicious. Fungi growing on your tree is a common sign of disease. While some diseases can be treated, they can also be fatal to the infected tree or the surrounding healthy trees.

Besides visible fungi, what are some other signs of tree disease? Let’s take a look:

• • Wilting, falling, or discoloration of leaves or needles

• • Depressions in the wood

• • Scabs in the fruits

• • Bleeding cankers

• • Stunted growth

• • Tiny, pimple-like spore-producing structures

Is tree dead or dying

Scratch the tree’s bark. If the cambium layer is green, it’s alive. If it’s brown and dry, it’s dead or dying. Check for other symptoms on our list. If your tree is unhealthy, call Douglas Tree Service. If our arborist confirms your tree is dead, your only choice is to remove it. We might be able to salvage a diseased tree, but there’s no way you can bring a dead tree back to life.

Tell-tale signs of a dead or dying tree include:

• • No leaves or buds during the growing season

• • The trunk has a significant lean

• • The branches are dead

• • If the tree is evergreen, it may have a thinning canopy, needle drop, or browning at the needle tips

• • The tree exhibits disease or insect symptoms

The tree has a significant or new lean

It’s natural for your tree to have a slight lean (one side is bound to be heavier than the other). But when it’s a dramatic lean that comprises the tree’s architecture or the tree suddenly has a lean it never had previously, then you can start to wonder about the health of your tree.

Have an arborist at Douglas Tree Service inspect your tree if it’s developed a new lean or its lean appears to be uprooting the tree. The leaning tree may be decaying or suffering from storm damage.

The tree is in a hazardous location

Sometimes you can have a perfectly healthy tree in the landscape, but its location is a nail-biter. If a tree is close to your home, power lines, or other structures, we may recommend its removal. The last thing any homeowner wants is a hazardous tree crashing through the roof or knocking out the power. 

Insect damage is visible

Who knew an itty bitty bug could devastate an enormous tree? Insect infestations won’t always kill your tree, but insects like the emerald ash borer  or carpenter ants will send your tree to the grave.

Some insects only cause damage to dead or dying trees, like the banded ash borer. So if your tree shows signs of insect damage, it may mean your tree had a preexisting issue that requires removal.

If your tree has the following symptoms, an insect might be to blame:

• • Large silken tents on branches

• • Round or D-shaped exit holes

• • S-shaped or zigzagged tunnels inside the wood

• • Visible larva on the tree

• • Stunted tree growth

• • Egg masses

• • Leaf damage or defoliation

Its an invasive tree

Invasive trees might look beautiful, but they can harm the health of your landscape by competing with native trees, suppressing biodiversity, and disrupting the ecosystem.

Invasive trees include:

• • Chinese tallow

• • Chinaberry trees

• • Bradford pear trees

• • White poplar

• • Mimosa (or silk) tree

• • Tree of heaven

• • Black locust

The roots are showing signs of rot

In our experience a tree with root rot isn’t entirely beyond recovery. Aggressive treatment may remedy the infection, but our arborist might still suggest removal if the tree poses a safety risk.

Spotting the signs of root rot is difficult. Why? Because you can’t get a good look at the underground tree roots (unless you have x-ray vision) and root rot’s symptoms mimic the signs of other issues.

Symptoms of root rot include:

• • Poor growth

• • Weak and decaying branches

• • Wilted or discolored leaves

• • Thinning of the canopy

• • Fungus growing up from the roots

• • Cankers or sunken wood branches may signal an underlying issue.

The tree has a ‘Y’ or ‘V’ crotch

Trees with multiple trunks may be a safety hazard depending on the angle of their connection, known as the crotch. Typically, trunks with a U-shaped crotch have a stronger connection than trunks with a tight ‘Y’ or ‘V’ crotch. Trees with these tight-angled connections are vulnerable to snapping and may require removal.

Pro Tip: We see it all the time, after a storm or a windy day. A Large section of the tree fails and falls. This is because of the “Y” crotch has alot of bark inclusion. As the limb gets heavier it separates easier and fails. We typically reduce the size of the “Y” crotch so this does not happen.

What to do if your tree is showing any of these signs

If you notice your tree is showing a few of these symptoms, it’s best to have our Arborist examine the tree. This ensures that your tree’s distress can be correctly diagnosed, tested, and treated if possible.

It’s worth mentioning that if your tree shows just one symptom of stress, it does not necessarily mean that your tree is dead or dying. Trees are not always constant, and certain environmental factors can cause a tree to show one sign of stress.

For example, in times of drought, your tree’s growth and foliage production may slow down as the tree tries to save energy and retain water.