Signs and Symptoms of Tree Stress (Plus Treatment)

While wandering the yard, did you spot something that looked a bit unusual? Perhaps a bare branch that’s usually bursting with leaves?

Your tree is lucky to have you looking out for it. The earlier you spot a problem on your tree, the better! Early or proactive tree treatment is almost always more effective.

Keep reading to find out if what you spotted is a serious or minor issue, then learn how to treat it.

Tree Stress Signs and Treatment

• Injured branches or limbs after a storm

  Pruning is the answer here. You may be able to prune small branches that can be reached on the ground yourself. But have a local tree expert prune large or tall branches. They know how to do this while keeping themselves and your home safe!

• Splits or cracks in your tree

  Minor splits in trees should heal on their own, but severe splits need help from an arborist to see what the next best step is. If the crack affects more than half of your tree, removal is likely the best option.

• Leaning tree

  A gradual lean that happens overtime is generally no big deal. But if your tree suddenly leans after a storm, it could be at risk to fall. Call your arborist for a free consultation. He’ll inspect it and let you know what you should do next to keep your home safe!

• Mushrooms or fungi growing at the base of a tree

  Some mushrooms are actually beneficial to trees while others, like the honey fungus, can be dangerous. See which yours is here.

• Trees with no leaves

  This is one of the most common ways trees let you know they’re stressed! And it can happen for all kinds of reasons. Look at your tree, then click on the specific problem to learn what you can do to help.

  If your tree has buds, but no leaves, click here. If your tree has no leaves on the top, click here. Or if your tree only has leaves on one side, click here.

• Early leaf drop

  This generally happens because of heat, water, a pest or a tree disease. See which may be causing your tree to lose leaves prematurely and what you can do about it.

• Leaves changing color too early

  If your tree has rainbow leaves, while other trees are green, your tree is stressed. See which of the top five problems your tree may have, then find the solution!

• Leaves that are wilting, yellow or brown on newly planted trees

  Your tree likely has transplant shock! Most of the time, you can help your new tree recover with these tips.

• Leaves that look sunburnt or brown in summertime

  Hmmm… It sounds like your leaves could have leaf scorch. There are a couple of reasons why this happens, and generally, you can solve this problem rather easily.

• Spotted or brown leaves after a rainy season

  That's probably a tree fungus. Now, let’s determine what fungus is bothering your tree and the best treatment. If you see this in spring, click here. Or if you see these symptoms in fall, click here.

• Small brown or yellow leaves after drought (Signs of drought stress in trees)

  Trees need water to thrive, so after prolonged periods without rainfall, you’ll see the above symptoms. Sometimes drought symptoms won’t appear for three years! The best way to help your tree is to be proactive and follow these tips. Without additional care, trees in prolonged droughts can have a reduced lifespan.

Does your tree need help from an expert? Click here for a 100% free consultation!