A dormant tree still has live, green tissue under the bark and flexible twigs, while a dead tree usually has dry, brittle twigs and brown or gray tissue under the bark. The most reliable way to tell is to check several signs together, and to watch whether the tree leafs out when similar trees around it do.
In winter, many healthy trees look bare and lifeless. Before assuming a tree needs dead tree removal, it helps to understand what dormancy looks like and which signs may point to something more serious.
Simple Checks You Can Do From the Ground
Bend a small twig you can reach from the ground. Living twigs usually flex, while dead twigs tend to snap cleanly.
Gently scratch a small spot of bark on a low twig with your fingernail. A thin green layer underneath usually means that part is alive. Brown, dry tissue may mean that twig is dead, but one twig doesn’t tell you about the whole tree, so check several spots.
Look at the buds. Plump, healthy-looking buds are a good sign. Shriveled buds, or no buds at all, may point to a problem.
Timing Matters
Trees don’t all leaf out at the same time. Some species are naturally later than others, and a cool spring can delay things further.
If other trees of the same kind nearby have leafed out and yours hasn’t, that’s a reason for a closer look. Give a tree some time before deciding it’s dead, especially early in spring. While you wait, keep people out from under any large branches that already look dry or broken.
Signs That May Point to a Dead Tree
Several signs together are more telling than any single one. These can include bark falling away in large sections, fungal growth such as mushrooms or shelf-like conks on the trunk, many brittle branches throughout the canopy and no new growth during the growing season.
Woodpecker activity and insect holes can also be clues, though they don’t prove a tree is dead on their own.
Partly Dead Trees
Sometimes only part of a tree is dead. A tree may have a dead limb or one dead side while the rest is still alive. In those cases, deadwood removal may be enough, rather than taking down the whole tree.
If you can’t tell what’s going on, a tree health assessment can help sort out whether the tree is dormant, declining or dead.
When a tree is confirmed dead and stands near a house, driveway or other busy area, removing the dead tree before it becomes brittle can reduce the risk of it falling unexpectedly.
If a tree on your Joplin property still looks lifeless after its neighbors have leafed out, have a local tree service take a look before making a decision.
Leave a Reply