We asked for rain, and we got it. Lots of it! Lots of rainfall means lots of falling trees! We hope everyone is being careful and staying safe. NOW is the time to have your property reassessed for tree liabilities.Here are the Top 3 Warning Signs of imminent tree failure.
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1. Saturated Soil

Soil anchors trees into place, so when it becomes saturated, tree roots lose their grip. Furthermore, urban trees can have very shallow roots growing in small soil volumes. Combine this with a heavy rain-saturated tree canopy, a bit of wind, and the tree falls over

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2. Roots Lifting from the Ground

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Speaking of roots, check if there's a shift in the tree's root plate. When a tree starts to lean, the roots on one side lift out of the ground or create bulges in the soil. If your tree is suddenly showing these signs, caution off the entire area and get it inspected.

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3. Dead or Decayed Wood

Wood that's dead or decayed is weak and breaks easily. When subjected to rain and heavy winds, you have a recipe for tree failure. Decay fungi also love wet weather, so if you see A LOT of mushrooms popping up around the trunk base of the tree, that means even more decayed wood. Caution off the area and get it inspected.

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About the Author:

Sophia Huang is a Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). She also holds a Qualified Applicator License (QAL) from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Sophia received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences from Santa Clara University, CA. Discovering her passion for urban trees, she went on to earn a Master of Science in Environmental Horticulture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA. Her studies and research focused on urban tree identification, biology pedagogy, and using leaf traits as predictors of tree drought tolerance. She has peer-reviewed publications in The American Biology Teacher and Urban Forestry and Urban Greening. 

Sophia joined the A Plus Tree team in 2019 as an Urban Forest Specialist and is now their Marketing and Education Leader. Her role includes training the team and educating clients on urban tree care – tree pruning, planting, removals, pests, diseases, fertilizers, irrigation, and more! She also writes for the A Plus Tree blog and helps run their Tree Health Care program. 

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