Pecan Tree Services
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Tree with half its crown bare in summer beside a fully leafed tree

Is that tree safe?

How to Tell a Tree Is Dying or Dangerous in Alpharetta

The signs a tree is failing, the ones that cannot wait, and what to do next.

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fungal brackets on oak trunk

Reading the tree

Warning Signs of a Dying or Dangerous Tree

A dying tree usually shows it in one of five places: a hollow at the base, fungal brackets on the trunk or "root flare", deep vertical cracks, a new lean with the soil heaving, or dieback in the upper crown.

Fungus, cracks and hollows matter most because they can point to decay inside the trunk, where you cannot see it. Walk the tree from the ground up and look for these:

  1. At the baseHollow base

    An open cavity or soft, punky wood where the trunk meets the ground.

  2. Trunk and rootsFungal brackets

    Shelf-like conks or mushrooms growing from the bark or the base of the trunk.

  3. The trunkTrunk cracks

    Deep vertical splits running up the stem, not just rough or flaking bark.

  4. The whole treeNew lean

    A tree that has started to tip, with the soil cracked or lifting on the side away from the lean.

  5. The topCrown dieback

    Bare, leafless limbs in the upper crown while the rest of the tree is in leaf.

Leaves wilting and dropping in spring or summer, when they should be holding on, is another sign a tree may be in trouble.

Do not wait on these

Signs That Need Immediate Attention

A sudden lean, a major crack through the trunk, or the root plate lifting out of the ground means the tree needs attention right away, not next season.

A tree that has started to fall but has not yet hit the ground is especially dangerous. Keep people, pets and cars out from under it and call us before anyone goes near it.

Call for an Estimate (470) 348-6983

Call the same day you notice any of these:

  • A sudden lean

    The tree stood straight last week and does not now.

  • A major trunk crack

    A split you can see into, or one that has opened since you last looked.

  • The root plate lifting

    Soil and roots rising out of the ground on one side of the trunk.

Your tree, your call

Who Is Liable When a Tree Falls

As a rule the property owner can be held responsible when a branch from their tree crushes a car or hurts someone walking by.

That is why a tree showing warning signs is worth dealing with before it drops something, not after. Trees are living things and can fail at any time, and a dead or decaying one over a driveway, a sidewalk or the neighbor's yard is a risk you carry until it is looked at.

A tree you have noticed is a tree you can do something about.

Broken hardwood limb lying across the hood of a parked car in a driveway

Saved or taken down

What to Do Next

A tree with warning signs should be looked at by an arborist, and taken down if it cannot be saved.

Some trees can be kept with the right work and some cannot, and the answer comes from looking at the trunk, the roots and how much healthy crown is left. The TreesAreGood.org guide to why you should hire an arborist explains when removal is the right call.

Call for an Estimate

Free, no-obligation estimates, with the whole job quoted before we start.

Removing a Tree That Cannot Be Saved

A dying tree near a house is taken down in pieces by a trained crew rather than dropped whole.

On a tight lot the tree is usually cut and lowered section by section, what the trade calls "sectional removal", so nothing lands on the roof, the fence or the driveway. A decaying trunk is also the wrong thing to trust with a single felling cut.

safe tree removal

Getting a Tree Checked by an Arborist

An arborist can tell whether pruning, "cabling and bracing" or removal is the right answer for a tree showing warning signs.

A damaged tree can sometimes be restored rather than removed, depending on how much canopy is left and whether the trunk and roots are sound. The Georgia Forestry Commission advises having tree care done by a certified arborist trained in tree diagnosis.

arborist inspections in Alpharetta

Neighbors on Google

What our customers say

Our Google reviews, in the words of the people who wrote them.

Competitive price and they did a great job. I would definitely use them again.
Tracy Turner Google review
This group is fantastic 98 degrees outside they did not stop these are heros
Vickie Lewis Google review
These guys came highly recommended from friends and family. Alejandro Came and gave me a competitive quote on the same day, for a giant white oak that others said was too big. Showed up on time on the day we agreed on and did an amazing job. You can’t even tell they were here aside from the massive tree that’s gone. 10/10 would recommend to anyone. Fantastic crew.
Dan Jones Google review

Not sure about a tree?

Point it out to us, and we will tell you what it needs

Call and tell us what you have seen. We come out, look the tree over, and give you a free, no-obligation estimate for whatever it needs.

Call for an Estimate (470) 348-6983

Monday to Friday, from early morning to 5 pm; Saturday, from early morning until 3 pm. Calls outside those hours go to voicemail and we return them the next working morning.

Same working day

We answer the phone or call back the same working day.

Quoted up front

We quote the whole job before we start, with no surprise charges after.

Call (470) 348-6983