How to Inspect Tree Health

The right trees in the right places offer a host of benefits for people, including lowering stress levels and improving cognition. Yet trees are vulnerable to a wide range of threats, from drought and insect damage to human disturbance and improper planting. While it’s impossible to prevent every disease, fungus and pest, you can help keep your trees healthy by regularly inspecting them for common problems.

Look at the trunk and bark for signs of health. A healthy tree should put on new growth each year, getting bigger in both trunk and branch size. Watch for vertical cracks that could indicate rot or decay under the surface. Also, watch out for bare patches on the trunk and branches that may indicate insect or fungal damage or poor soil conditions.

Healthy tree roots grow into the ground and absorb water and nutrients, which are vital for a tree’s overall health. When roots become damaged or swollen due to nutrient deficiency, tree vigor will decline.

A healthy tree will not have bare patches on the crown. Observe the trunk for signs of rot or insect damage, such as fungi like the emerald ash borer or Asian longhorned beetle, that can kill the tree by damaging the cambium (a layer of tissue that helps the tree grow). Watch for a sappy-like liquid oozing from the bark, especially in winter. This is often a sign of bacterial wetwood, a fungus that causes the tree to leak sap in response to a bacterial infection.

Trees are designed to shed dead branches, so a lot of dead or dying branches is usually a bad sign. Dead branches also invite pests and diseases to overtake the tree, so it’s important to prune a tree yearly to remove old or damaged branches before they can fall and cause injury or property damage.

The color of a tree’s leaves is also a good indicator of its health. A healthy tree will have leaves in the correct hue for the season—green in spring and summer, yellow or orange on deciduous species and green needles for evergreens. Watch out for yellowing or brown leaves, as well as those that drop early, which could indicate disease or water stress.

A tree’s bark protects it from many external stresses, and healthy trees will have a thick, protective outer layer. Thin bark and cracks can lead to rot or other forms of damage underneath, and allow pathogens to enter the tree.

Watch for a matted white fungal mycelium or black ‘bootlace’ rhizomorphs on the trunk, and clumps of honey-coloured toadstools on the ground in late summer, which are indications of bracket fungi Ganoderma, a fungus that causes canker disease, wood rot and tree dieback. If these signs are present, a professional arborist should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment.

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