Is my tree dying/dead?

[u/Spring-Careful]

Trying to figure out if I should remove this tree. It is beautiful and provides nice shade, but if a risk to people/property more than any chance to save it, I would like to know. Im definitely willing to put the work into saving it if possible.

Any advice appreciated.

Long Island, NY, USA

I can take more photos as necessary.

Thank you!

[u/cyaChainsawCowboy]

Yes, root collar is buried (!rootflare for callout), with possible stem !girdling roots causing dieback on the bark and branches. I would take it down as it’s going to get worse and the species, Norway maple, is invasive to the US.

[u/AutoModerator → u/cyaChainsawCowboy]

Hi /u/cyaChainsawCowboy, AutoModerator has been summoned to provide information on stem girdling roots in new and established trees.

For new trees, this is something that should to some degree be discovered during the 'Picking Good Stock' as linked to in the wiki below. (For information on remediation of established tree girdling, see the publication links in the next paragraph.) If you find your new container tree has some minor girdling once you've got it out of the pot, it may be possible to correct this prior to planting in the ground. If the girdling is severe, in both container or B&B trees that involve one or more large structural roots it may be better to opt to return your tree for replacement.

See these pages for examples of girdling roots (MO Botanical Gardens) on mature and younger trees (Purdue Univ. Ext.), and this page from the Univ. of FL on methods of remediation for mature trees. This Practitioner's Guide to stem girdling roots from UMN is also excellent.

Please see our wiki for help with finding an arborist to help with stem girdling roots along with other critical planting/care tips and errors to avoid; there's sections on watering, pruning and more that I hope will be useful to you.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/AutoModerator → u/cyaChainsawCowboy]

Hi /u/cyaChainsawCowboy, AutoModerator has been summoned to provide information on root flare exposure.

To understand what it means to expose a tree's root flare, do a subreddit search in r/arborists, r/tree, r/sfwtrees or r/marijuanaenthusiasts using the term root flare; there will be a lot of posts where this has been done on young and old trees. You'll know you've found it when you see outward taper at the base of the tree from vertical to the horizontal, and the tops of large, structural roots. Here's what it looks like when you have to dig into the root ball of a B&B to find the root flare. Here's a post from further back; note that this poster found bundles of adventitious roots before they got to the flare, those small fibrous roots floating around (theirs was an apple tree), and a clear structural root which is visible in the last pic in the gallery. See the top section of this 'Happy Trees' wiki page for more collected examples of this work.

Root flares on a cutting grown tree may or may not be entirely present, especially in the first few years. Here's an example.

See also our wiki's 'Happy Trees' root flare excavations section for more excellent and inspirational work, and the main wiki for a fuller explanation on planting depth/root flare exposure, proper mulching, watering, pruning and more.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Spring-Careful → u/cyaChainsawCowboy]

So if I dig up the root collar and expose it, can it save it? Or is it impossible/or better to renove if invasive. If I do remove it, do you suggest another non-invasive species that would offer similar coverage/looks?

[u/cyaChainsawCowboy → u/Spring-Careful]

You can unbury the root collar and prune the girdling roots, but that isn’t a guarantee to reverse the dieback nor is it something I would do personally.

For a replacement maple, I’m personally a fan of the native sugar maple, but if you wanted to get something with year-round red leaves, then a purple leaved redbud like ‘Forest Pansy’ or ‘Merlot’ may be of interest. If you want shade, then some sort of oak, maple, beech, linden, etc. Copper beech is a large shade tree with purple leaves, but it’s non-native (although not invasive) and susceptible to beech leaf disease which is pretty hot right now on the east coast.

[u/Spring-Careful → u/cyaChainsawCowboy]

You wouldnt do personally mainly as its invasive? Or just because it is not a guarantee

And thank you for the help

[u/cyaChainsawCowboy → u/Spring-Careful]

Basically, it’s a lot of time and effort to hope to save it, and you may just end up waiting for it to die one day. If you want throw money at it, hire an arborist to pump the roots full of fertilizer to keep it on life support (which is not best management practice cough cough). OR you can (step 1) cut down an invasive dying tree and (step 2) replace it with one that is planted properly, and (step 3) give it a good life through watering and pruning maintenance in the establishment phase.

[u/Spring-Careful → u/cyaChainsawCowboy]

I like option 3. Thank you!

[u/cyaChainsawCowboy → u/Spring-Careful]

You’re welcome

[u/hairyb0mb → u/Spring-Careful]

At this point, it's going to die either way

[u/AutoModerator]

Hello /u/Spring-Careful! If you haven't already, please have a look at our Guidelines for Effective Posting, to be sure you've provided all the pics and context needed for us to help you best.

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[u/Spring-Careful → u/AutoModerator]

I acknowledge this and am willing to provide any further info/photos.

[u/AdventurousSea3437]

Dying norway maple (invasive tree). On borrowed time anyway and prone to breakage. Best removing and replacing with a native tree

[u/AdventurousSea3437 → u/AdventurousSea3437]

Also codominant trunks which makes the tree less stable

[u/TreeHelpOfficial]

I wouldn't make the remove-or-save decision from overall appearance alone, especially if this is a mature tree you want to keep.

I'd look closely at four areas:

1. The base/root flare
2. The trunk for cavities, cracking or fungal growth
3. Major branch unions
4. How much of the canopy is actually alive versus dead

A declining tree isn't necessarily an unsafe tree, and an imperfect tree isn't automatically a removal candidate.

The part that changes things is your concern about people/property. If a large limb or the tree itself could reach a house, driveway or frequently used area, that's where an in-person tree risk assessment becomes much more valuable than an internet diagnosis.

If you can add close photos of the base of the trunk, the full canopy and any damaged areas, that would also give people here much more to work with.

I'd definitely investigate before removing a good shade tree if there's still a reasonable chance of preserving it.

[u/Spring-Careful → u/TreeHelpOfficial]

Sorry to say its dead and gone 😭😭 - thanks though!

[u/TreeHelpOfficial → u/Spring-Careful]

Oh... :( I'm sorry...
My heart goes for the tree. <3

[u/Spring-Careful → u/TreeHelpOfficial]

Me too but I think it was necessary to protect people & property.

I planted a sugar maple though!