Tree problems
The symptoms that matter most are structural, not cosmetic: a lean that changed recently, cracked or heaved soil at the base, large dead limbs in the upper crown, deep trunk cracks, cavities, and mushrooms growing at the base or on the trunk. Leaf discoloration and early leaf drop signal stress and are worth a call, but a tree with a compromised root plate is the one that can fall.
Learn the difference between a sick tree and a dangerous tree. They overlap but they are not the same. The International Society of Arboriculture describes decline symptoms including "smaller and fewer leaves, dieback in the crown of the tree, and premature fall color." Those tell you the tree is struggling. They do not tell you it is about to fall - plenty of struggling trees stand for another decade.
Danger signs are mechanical. Fungal fruiting bodies at the base often mean root or butt decay you cannot see. A lean with cracked or lifted soil on the opposite side means the root plate is moving. Vertical trunk cracks, large cavities, and included bark at a major fork are structural defects. Large deadwood over anything you care about is a fall hazard independent of the tree's overall health.
Construction damage is the slow killer people never connect. ISA lists physical injury to trunk and crown, soil compaction in the root zone, and severed or smothered roots as the mechanisms. A tree that was fine before a driveway, addition or trench went in can decline for years afterward, and by the time the crown thins the roots are long gone.
The right response to most of this is a tree risk assessment, not immediate removal. ISA maintains a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification, and an arborist with that credential is assessing likelihood of failure, likelihood of hitting a target, and consequences - a structured judgment, not a guess. If a company arrives, glances at the tree, and quotes removal in 90 seconds, get a second opinion.
Choosing tree service a fix
The judgement calls that decide the bill, before anyone quotes you.
- Mushrooms at the base are a same-week call Fungal fruiting bodies on the trunk or root flare often mean decay in the part of the tree holding it up. You cannot assess this from the outside.
- Watch for a lean that changed Trees that grew leaning are often fine. A tree that started leaning recently, or has cracked soil on the uphill side, is a different problem entirely.
- Ask for a TRAQ-qualified assessor for a big decision ISA offers a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification. If someone is telling you to spend thousands removing a mature tree, this is who you want making that call.
- Look up, in winter Bare-branch season is when structural defects, deadwood and cracks are actually visible. Do a slow walk-around of every large tree once a year.
- Protect roots during construction, before it starts Fencing off the root zone before equipment arrives costs almost nothing. Reversing compaction and severed roots afterward mostly does not work.
All tree service problems
Leaning Tree Near House
Dead Tree on Property
Storm Damaged Tree
Tree Roots Damaging Foundation
Tree Roots in Sewer Line
Diseased Tree
Hazardous Tree Over Power Lines
Tree Blocking Sunlight
Failed Tree After Storm
Invasive Tree Species Problems
Tree Limb Drop Risk
Construction Tree Damage
Where these figures come from
Sources last checked
- ISA - Recognizing Tree Hazards · retrieved 2026-07-26
- ISA - Plant Health Care · retrieved 2026-07-26
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