How can you tell if a tree is dead or dying?

Northern Nevada trees drop their leaves early in a hard fall and leaf out late after a cold spring, so a bare tree in April is not always a dead tree. This guide lists the signs that matter and what you can look at from the ground. It does not replace an assessment, and nobody should call a tree safe from a web page.

What are the signs of a dead or dying tree?

The common signs are a bare crown while neighboring trees have leaves, dead branches that break with a dry snap, bark that peels off in sheets, mushrooms or shelf-shaped fungus on the trunk or around the base, and cracks or hollow sounds in the trunk. One sign alone can have a harmless cause, but several together are a reason to call.

NC State Extension lists fungus and horizontal cracks among the clearer signs of a dead tree, and notes that a tree can be dead in some branches and alive in others.

• Bare or sparse crown in the growing season.
• Dead branches, especially in the upper crown.
• Bark loose, cracked or missing in patches.
• Fungus on the trunk or at the root flare.
• Roots lifting or soil heaving at the base.
• Sudden lean or a split in the trunk.

Can you tell dormant from dead?

Sometimes. Extension sources describe a scratch test on a small twig you can reach from the ground: green, moist tissue under the bark means living wood, and brown, dry or brittle tissue means dead wood. Test several twigs, because one dead twig does not mean a dead tree.

NC State Extension also describes a snap test, where a year-old twig that breaks when bent sharply is likely dead. Treat both as clues and not as a verdict, and do not climb or use a ladder to reach branches. A big old tree can be partly dead and partly healthy.

Why do trees die or decline in Northern Nevada?

Common causes include drought stress, root damage from digging or paving, wounds from past topping or poor pruning, and insects or disease. Valley trees get 4 to 10 inches of precipitation a year at the NOAA stations, so most urban trees here live on irrigation and decline when watering stops or the root zone is disturbed.

We do not treat insects or disease, which is not a Battle Born service. What an arborist can tell you is whether pruning or removal is the answer. See our guide to watering mature trees in the high desert.

When is a dead tree an emergency?

It is an emergency when it is leaning toward a building, cracked, hanging over a play area or a driveway, touching a wire, or has just moved. A tree that has fallen or is partly down needs a different response.

If anyone is hurt, call 911. If a power line is involved, stay away and call NV Energy. Then call Battle Born's 24-hour emergency line at 775.232.8243.

Our guides on a leaning tree and warning signs before a tree fails cover the next step.

What does an arborist check, and what are your options?

An ISA Certified Arborist looks at the crown, trunk, root flare and surroundings, and weighs how likely the tree is to fail against what it could hit. Battle Born says a certified arborist assesses every job before work begins.

The result is usually one of three: leave it and monitor, prune out dead wood or reduce weight, or remove the tree. Removal is common when a tree is dead, because dead wood gets brittle. Battle Born offers dead wooding, cabling and bracing, and removal, with free estimates.