Yard of the Living Dead: What is a Zombie Tree, and How to Spot It?
Edmontonians are used to the harsh realities of winter. Cold weather is always around the corner, and you can always expect a few frozen weeks throughout winter. That is why warm weather is savoured. When it finally shows up for a few months out of the year, the winter coats get packed away, and everyone hits the streets to enjoy the sun. Edmonton residents love it when the green leaves return, canopying their morning strolls along tree-lined paths. What if there was a hidden danger on that path, like a zombie tree?
Major ice storms and other weather events can be very hard on trees. The heartwood of a tree can grow weak with time, accelerated by harsh winters. These trees may appear healthy on the outside, but these weakened trees have experienced intense internal decay. This makes them dangerous and unpredictable. Although they seem like happy, healthy trees, they can actually fall and cause serious damage or injury.
These seemingly ordinary trees are, in fact, zombie trees. Dying trees that appear healthy due to the internal nature of their injuries. Don’t let their brightly colored leaves fool you into a false sense of security. Our Edmonton arborists at Trusty Tree are here to assist you in unmasking these unseen safety hazards.
From Healthy Trees to Hazard Trees: How Does a Tree Become a Zombie?
While zombie trees in Edmonton don’t come about from magic or a mysterious disease reanimating corpses as you see in horror movies, they do pose some very real dangers. That is why it is important to understand how this transformation from healthy to hazardous occurs. Beginning in the heartwood, the wood that offers a tree its structure, decay or disease begins to set in. This internal damage is typically caused by:
- Environmental Stressors: Freezing weather, tornadoes, and major thunderstorms can cause internal damage to the tree. Aging trees have an increased risk level due to their aged heartwood. Droughts cause trees to use more energy than typically required, weakening them.
- Insect Infestations: Common tree pests like the emerald ash borer or bark beetles can wreak havoc on trees and their internal structures.
- Fungi Infestations: Fungal diseases can infest a tree’s heartwood, colonizing it and causing rot and decay to set in.
These sick trees can often be hard to spot due to their bark appearing healthy on the outside, allowing for flowering and sprouting of green leaves. It is important that after major storms or if you become aware of potential common pests in the area, you perform a tree health check. Your local arborists at Trusty Tree are always ready to help and have provided some tips below on how to spot these so-called zombie trees.
How to Spot the Living Dead: Zombie Trees in Edmonton
Upon first glance, your average tree might appear healthy. Tall and proud, with green leaves and flowers. But much like a survivor hiding a zombie bite, these dying trees are hiding a dangerous secret. While the obvious signs, like dead branches and leaves or massive gashes in the tree trunk, are not initially apparent, closer inspection can tell you a different story.
Some aspects of a zombie tree you should be on the lookout for are:
- Leaves are thinning and have spots, either scattered or mostly on one side.
- Cracks or deep splits in the tree bark.
- Bark that falls off or peels away.
- Fallen branches around the base of the tree.
- Fragile branches that break with minimal pressure.
- Dead branches are concentrated on one side of the tree.
- White fungus in the heartwood.
- Cracks in the ground near the tree’s base.
- Heaving soil around the tree.
Should your tree exhibit one or more of these issues, you are likely dealing with a decayed tree. If this is the case, it’s a good idea to book professional tree services to avoid unwanted injury or damage. Trusty Tree’s Edmonton-based arborists are well-equipped to diagnose and remove your damaged trees. These hazardous zombie trees should be removed with the utmost care.
How To Prevent Zombie Trees in Edmonton?
Typically, it is best not to let these sick trees worsen over an extended period of time. Zombie trees can be effectively avoided. With just a little work on your end, you can make sure your disease-free trees stay that way. Some proactive measures Trusty Tree recommends include:
- Regular Inspections
- Proper watering and fertilization
- Soil management
- Dead wood removal
- Branch pruning
Our professional arborists would be happy to offer you a consultation regarding a potential specialized care plan. That way, the trees in your backyard can avoid unwanted zombification. Regular maintenance and tree inspections can help save trees’ lives and keep your space looking green, lush, and healthy.
Can a Zombie Tree be Saved?
Should your tree succumb to root rot, unwanted insects, or a harsh storm, fear not, for there are ways to bring your zombie tree back from the living dead. Catching the damage early is important in increasing your tree’s chance of survival. Booking a professional arborist to assess the chances of success is a great way to start. Their specialized tools can detect the zombie tree’s issue, and their expertise can set you up with a plan to save your beloved trees.
Most recovery plans include a mix of watering, fertilizing, pest management, and soil control to give your tree the best chance to bounce back. However, the tree species and disease play a large role in the chances of your zombie tree’s survival.
How Do Zombie Trees Impact Other Wildlife?
Zombie trees are both a positive and a negative for local wildlife. While dead trees, or ‘snags,’ offer themselves up as homes for owls, woodpeckers, and other little critters, their potential dangers cannot be understated.
These zombie trees can fall and hurt locals in urbanized areas, unlike in the wild, where these fallen trees act as food for fungi and insects. However, these defective trees can spread disease, leading to the widespread development of zombie trees. Edmonton arborists and scientists alike often recommend a more balanced approach, where some wild zombie trees are left to improve biodiversity, and others are removed to improve overall forest health.
In instances where the zombie trees are found in an urban environment or when the tree is not native to the surrounding area, the tree is removed to improve safety and ensure safe biodiversity.
Trusty Tree is Here to Help Spot and Remove Zombie Trees in Edmonton—the Unseen Danger Lurking in Your Neighbourhood
Whether it is a zombie tree invasion or just a lone tree, sick and in need of care, Trusty Trees local arborists are here to provide you with peace of mind. Their safety-first approach can help you remove unwanted dead trees, diagnose potential zombie trees, and get your yard ready for summer. Check out our 5-star customer reviews to see why you should give us a call as your zombie tree solutions expert.