Trees are a very important part of nature. They stand strong and are often an accurate representation of strength and beauty. As with any situation in life, sickness can reach anything that is alive and that includes the trees.

Sick or diseased trees can be easy to spot if you know what you are looking for. The good news is that trees can also be healed of certain diseases. Early detection and having comprehensive knowledge of the tree will make it easier to treat and diagnose the illness. The following are some general signs of a diseased tree:

Leaf Spots

Leaf spots can appear as patches of discoloration on the leaves of a tree. These patches are randomly disbursed throughout the leaves. Once the discoloration progresses to decay, the decay will present itself in the form of holes in the leaves.

Most leaf diseases come from fungi or bacteria. It is spread easily by the moisture in the air. These diseases commonly appear during late summer/early fall.

Crumbly Wood

A tree with a crumbly trunk is a diseased tree. Soft, crumbly wood translates into a tree that is not strong enough to support itself any longer.

By the time tree wood (the trunk and/or the branches that are still attached) reaches the point that it is easy to poke holes in, it may be too late to save the tree. Severe decay may indicate a tree that is already dead inside.

Strange/Unfamiliar Insects

Having knowledge of the type of tree that you are dealing with makes it easier to spot abnormalities. It is given knowledge that insects live in and on trees but all insects are not native to all trees. Seeing an unfamiliar insect in a tree is an indication that something is not right.

Abnormal insects can be like leeches; attaching themselves to the tree and sucking it dry. Unfamiliar insects may also be attracted to the fungi and/or bacteria that has attached itself to the tree.

If you see these kind of bugs, it is best to get rid of them as soon as you can. Allowing the insects to live on the tree will result in them eating the leaves (cutting off the supply of sunlight) and boring into the trunk (causing damage from the inside out).

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are known to regenerate quickly, often popping up less than 4 hours after a heavy rain. These persistent fungi are usually attracted to dead and decaying plant matter. Keeping that in mind, if you see mushrooms growing at the roots of your tree, it is likely that you have severely damaged or dead tree roots.

Please note that mushrooms and trees often grow harmoniously. However, seeing abnormal mushrooms growing in unusual areas indicate that it is time to take a full assessment of the health of your tree.

Detecting disease early is the key to keeping your trees strong and healthy. Early detection paired with effective treatment will lessen the likelihood of the tree losing all of its life force. If you find that you have a dead tree, be sure to have it removed as soon as possible to prevent damage to surrounding areas.

If you’re interested in tree trimming or stump removal try out Valley Tree Managers. They are a full service cactus, tree, and stump removal company who have been around for years!