Signs That a Tree is Dying – And How to Prevent It

Dead branches showing up in the crown. Bark peeling off in large sections. Fungal growth at the base. Leaves that don’t look right for the season. Sometimes a tree starts leaning when it never did before, or you’ll notice cracks in the trunk.

These are the warning signs we see before a tree becomes dangerous. The tricky part is figuring out if your tree is actually dying or just stressed from Utah’s harsh conditions. Our summers beat up trees. The alkaline soil stresses them. Some bounce back after a rough season. Others are already too far gone.

Diamond Tree Experts has worked across the Wasatch Front since 1968. Our certified arborists know Utah’s climate challenges and how they affect different tree species. After removing thousands of trees and treating thousands more, we can usually tell within a few minutes whether a tree can be saved or needs to come down.

Crown Dieback and Dead Branches

When branches start dying from the top down, that’s crown dieback. It’s one of the clearest signs we look for during assessments.

Usually starts with just one or two branches that don’t leaf out in spring. You might not even notice it at first. But then more branches die. The dead areas spread through the crown over the next year or two. Once half the crown is dead wood, the root system can’t support what’s left. Most trees at that point need removal – they’re too far gone and too dangerous to leave standing.

We see several causes in Utah. Construction damage is big – when someone digs a foundation 20 feet from a mature tree, they’re cutting through major roots. The tree looks fine that first year. Maybe even the second year. Then suddenly in year three, whole sections of the crown start dying. Happens constantly in Draper and Herriman where they’re building near older trees.

Drought kills trees slower but just as surely. A tree goes three or four summers without enough water, and the damage is permanent even if you start watering correctly later. The emerald ash borer does it faster – gets inside the tree and destroys the vascular tissue. Nutrients can’t reach the branches.

Now, some trees naturally drop their lower branches as they mature. That’s different. What we’re concerned about is dead wood scattered through the upper crown, or when more than a quarter of the tree is affected. That’s not normal aging.

Bark Damage and What It Means

Bark should stay attached to the trunk. When you see large sections peeling off or missing entirely, that tree is exposed to insects, diseases, and weather damage.

Vertical cracks in the bark concern us more than people realize. Not the small surface cracks you see on old oaks – those are normal. We’re talking about deep cracks running several feet up the trunk. Wood expands and contracts with temperature changes, which is normal, but healthy bark flexes with it. Weak bark just splits open.

Missing bark shows up often on the south and southwest sides of trees here in Utah. Sun scald does this. Winter sun at our elevation heats the bark up during the day, then it freezes at night. After enough cycles, the bark tissue dies and falls off the trunk. Once you’ve got exposed wood like that, the tree is vulnerable to everything.

Fungal growth is a bad sign. Mushrooms growing on the bark or around the base mean the tree is already rotting. These fungi only grow on dead or dying wood. By the time you see the actual mushrooms, there’s usually significant decay inside the tree that you can’t see from the outside.

Leaf Problems and Tree Health

Leaves tell you a lot if you know what to look for. Size, color, timing – they all reveal information about what’s happening with the roots and vascular system.

Small leaves mean the tree isn’t getting enough nutrients or water. It’s trying to produce foliage but doesn’t have the resources for normal-sized leaves. Usually points to root problems or a compromised vascular system that can’t transport water and nutrients properly.

Trees dropping leaves in summer is never normal. Fall leaf drop is natural, but summer leaf loss means the tree can’t support its foliage anymore. It’s a survival mechanism – conserving whatever resources are left. Could be from poor watering, root rot, vascular disease. All produce that same symptom.

Scorched leaf edges in summer might just be drought stress. Water it correctly and it might be fine next year. But if you’re watering regularly and the leaves still look terrible, you’re dealing with something more serious. Root rot, maybe. Vascular disease. They look similar to homeowners but the treatments are completely different.

Chlorosis – those yellow leaves with green veins – shows up everywhere in Utah. Iron deficiency from our alkaline soil. Not fatal by itself, but leave it untreated for years and the tree gets weaker. Then insects or disease move in and finish it off.

Root and Trunk Problems

Root problems develop underground where you can’t see them. But there are visible signs that tell us what’s happening below the surface.

Mushrooms growing in a ring around the tree mean root rot. The fungus is feeding on decaying roots. Significant damage has already happened underground by the time you see mushrooms.

A leaning tree means the roots are failing. Sudden leans after storms need immediate attention – call someone that day. Even gradual leans over a year or two mean the root system isn’t anchoring the tree anymore.

Look where the trunk meets the ground. You should see the trunk widen as it goes into the soil – that’s called the root flare. If the trunk goes straight down like a post, the tree was planted too deep. This causes roots to circle around the trunk instead of spreading out. Those circling roots eventually strangle the tree. Takes decades sometimes, which is why we see this on trees that were planted 20 or 30 years ago by contractors who didn’t know better.

Deep vertical cracks in the trunk mean structural failure. Small surface cracks can heal. But cracks you can stick your finger in, or cracks that go around the trunk – that tree is literally splitting apart. Internal decay, frost damage, or just more stress than it can physically handle.

Sawdust or frass at the base means boring insects are inside eating the wood. They push the debris out through their holes. If you’re seeing piles of sawdust, significant damage has already happened inside.

When Professional Assessment Becomes Necessary

Basic maintenance – watering, cleaning up dead branches you can safely reach, mulching – homeowners can handle that. Figuring out if a tree is actually dying requires professional tools and experience.

Our arborists check things most people don’t know to look for. We examine the root collar, sometimes excavating around the trunk to see what’s happening at soil level. For larger trees, we use resistograph testing to measure decay inside the trunk. A complete assessment looks at the tree, the site conditions, the surrounding landscape, what’s been done to the property recently.

Experience makes the difference. A tree with 60% of the crown dead is clearly dying – easy call. But a tree with 20% dieback? That might respond to treatment. Or it might be too far gone and treatment is wasting money. You learn to tell the difference after seeing hundreds of these situations play out.

Safety is critical. Dead trees drop branches without warning. Trees fail during windstorms – happens regularly throughout Sandy, Riverton, and Layton. Trees near houses, power lines, or high-traffic areas need professional assessment to determine the actual risk.

We’ll tell you honestly whether removal makes sense, whether selective pruning might buy more years, or whether treatment is actually an option. Five decades working specifically with Utah’s soil conditions, climate patterns, tree diseases, and insect problems gives us reliable knowledge about what works and what doesn’t.

Common Causes of Tree Death in Utah

Understanding why trees die here helps you spot problems earlier.

Drought kills more trees than anything else. Even mature trees need supplemental water during Utah summers. We hear “it’s been there 40 years, it doesn’t need watering” constantly. Wrong. Trees decline slowly when underwatered. Symptoms might not show for three or four years after the damage starts. By the time you notice decline, permanent damage has occurred.

Our alkaline soil creates nutrient deficiencies. Most tree species prefer slightly acidic soil. Alkaline conditions lock up iron and micronutrients where roots can’t reach them. Trees survive but they’re chronically stressed. Years of that accumulated stress makes them vulnerable to whatever comes next – insects, disease, drought.

Construction damage kills trees years after the actual digging. Someone excavates a foundation, cuts major roots. Tree looks fine year one. Fine year two. Then year three or four, it starts declining and nobody connects it back to that construction. Happens all the time in Draper, Herriman, anywhere with new development near mature trees.

Regional diseases include fire blight on ornamental trees, cytospora canker on spruces, root rots in poorly drained soils. Each produces specific symptoms but all kill trees without early detection.

Insect problems – balsam woolly adelgid has killed thousands of fir trees along the Wasatch Front. Pine beetles go after stressed conifers. Aphids, scale insects, others. Most don’t kill healthy trees quickly but will finish off trees already struggling with other problems.

Costs of Ignoring a Dying Tree

Tree removal costs money – we get it. But ignoring a dying tree typically costs more.

Controlled removal on your schedule costs significantly less than emergency removal. Tree falls on your house and needs immediate removal? Weekend rates, night rates, special equipment to get it off your structure without causing more damage. Double or triple the cost of normal removal.

Dead trees attract wood-boring insects that spread to other trees. Remove one dead tree now or lose multiple trees later when insects colonize your yard.

Homeowner’s insurance covers tree damage to structures only when the tree was healthy when it fell. Insurance adjusters determine whether trees were obviously dying before failure. If they decide you should have known, they can deny the claim. Then you’re paying all repair costs out of pocket.

Liability issues come up when dying trees fall on neighboring properties or injure people. Legal costs and settlements from tree failure substantially exceed what removal would have cost.

Professional Tree Assessment Process

We don’t just show up and give quick estimates. A real assessment takes time.

First, we examine the crown. How much dead wood is present? Is dieback coming from one direction or affecting the whole canopy? Are living branches producing normal growth or is everything stunted? Crown structure tells us a lot if you know what to look for.

Then trunk inspection. Cracks, cankers, missing bark, fungal growth, insect activity. We tap the trunk with a rubber mallet in multiple spots listening for hollow sounds – solid wood sounds different than decayed wood. On large trees or trees near structures, we recommend resistograph testing. Drill a tiny hole to measure wood density through the trunk. Tells us exactly how much decay exists inside.

Root collar examination sometimes requires excavation to see what’s happening at soil level. Girdling roots, improper planting depth, rot – these problems exist underground but explain much about why trees decline.

Site evaluation considers soil condition, drainage, recent construction, irrigation changes, grade modifications. Site factors often reveal as much as tree examination.

Based on everything, we determine whether the tree is dying, identify causes, evaluate treatment possibilities, outline options. Some trees need removal for safety. Some benefit from specific treatments. Others just need better care going forward. Honest recommendations based on actual observations, not sales targets.

Making Decisions About Tree Removal or Treatment

Deciding whether to remove or treat a declining tree requires weighing multiple factors. We have this conversation with homeowners daily.

Trees provide shade, increase property values, improve air quality. Sometimes they hold sentimental value. These benefits get balanced against safety concerns and realistic treatment prospects.

Safety takes priority. Trees posing risks to people or property need removal regardless of other considerations. Trees with more than 50% crown death won’t recover enough to remain safe long-term.

Treatment costs for moderately declining trees get weighed against potential benefits. Treatment costing several hundred dollars that extends tree life 10 to 15 years may be worthwhile. Treatment that merely delays inevitable decline makes removal and replacement with a healthy young tree the better choice.

Our team provides realistic expectations based on extensive experience. We won’t recommend treatments for trees that can’t be saved. We also won’t recommend removal when proper care can maintain healthy, safe trees.

Early assessment prevents dangerous situations. Most emergency calls throughout Ogden, Provo, and the Wasatch Front could have been avoided with assessment six months to a year earlier when warning signs appeared but trees hadn’t yet failed.

Conclusion

Dying trees show warning signs – dead branches, bark damage, leaf problems, root issues. Utah’s climate, soil conditions, and common diseases create specific challenges. Early detection and professional assessment provide the best outcomes.

Diamond Tree Experts is South Salt Lake’s trusted tree removal and care company. Our certified arborists understand Utah trees, soils, climate challenges, and regional diseases. We provide accurate diagnosis and honest recommendations.

Don’t wait for a dying tree to become an emergency. Contact Diamond Tree Experts today for a free inspection. We’ll assess your tree health honestly and create a plan to keep your landscape safe and beautiful.