Hollow Trees

We love the trees in our landscape.  They beautify, create shade and give places for our children to play around.  Most trees look healthy from the outside because there are plenty of leaves in the summer time, and it continues to grow larger each year.  Unfortunately, some trees can be very unsafe if they are hollow in the center.  By not having the heartwood of a tree, added pressure on the tree can cause them to break and fall apart.  I have visited many trees around the country that have decayed centers and after a snow storm or a strong wind they fell apart.  Completely dead trees aren’t as susceptible to snow and wind damage because they don’t have leaves on them, which catch more snow and wind.  Predicting what will happen to your tree can be very hard and may require special attention.              

Most people think that trees “all of a sudden” died, but there are usually signs that can indicate the declining health of your trees.  Insects, diseases or even an improperly placed tree could affect the health of your landscape.  Ask your Certified Arborist to evaluate your trees to make sure they are in great health.  There are many tools and devices that can be used to evaluate a tree, but a good eye that looks at a tree often is the best preventative measure around!