While many types of tree damage are easy to spot, some aggressive fungal infections and attacks by wood-boring insects can create severe unseen damage deep inside a tree’s trunk. Attacks from the inside out can leave only a thin shell that creates a safety hazard and is deadly to the tree.
In this post, Empire Tree Experts, the leading tree service in Santa Rosa, CA, and the surrounding region, shares information about how to tell if a tree is rotten inside.
Signs of Interior Tree Decay
Sometimes, there are visual clues of tree diseases or pest infestation.
Here are some of the common visual signs of interior decay:
- Holes in the trunk or branches. Unusual holes in tree bark can indicate fungal infection or can be tunnels created by carpenter ants. Poke holes you see with a screwdriver to feel for soft, spongy wood inside as further evidence of decay.
- Sap oozing through the bark. Slimy, dark sap spotting the outside of the tree can indicate bacterial decay inside the tree.
- Fungal growth on bark. Unusual mushroom or conk growth on a tree’s bark or the roots around its base is evidence of a possible deeper fungal infection and significant interior decay.
- Cracking or splitting bark. Long cracks or unusually peeling bark can signify a hollow tree trunk resulting from fungal infection and decay.
Beyond visual inspection, arborists use a variety of tests to detect inner tree decay. If you’re wondering how to tell if a tree is rotten inside, these techniques include:
- Drill test. Arborists bore a hole in the trunk to extract an inner core sample. Crumbling and soft material from the core are evidence of inner decay.
- Poke test. An arborist probes the trunk with a sharp instrument like an awl. The level of resistance provides information about the tree’s core health.
- Rocking test. An arborist pushes the tree from different angles and heights to feel for movement that can indicate root or trunk rot and decay.
- Insect sampling. Evidence of pest species and specimens of termites, beetle grubs, or carpenter ants indicates a likelihood of inner decay.
- Root inspections. An arborist looks at roots for evidence of dead tree material, missing structures, or anything else that could restrict water and nutrition uptake. Defects at the soil line can strongly suggest damage throughout a tree’s core.
Every species exhibits varying symptoms of inner decay, and if you suspect that a tree on your property is rotting or decaying inside, contact Empire Tree Experts to treat or remove decayed trees and prevent tree disease from spreading.
Call Empire Tree Experts For Professional Tree Services
If you still have questions about how to tell if a tree is rotten inside or need any professional arborist service in Santa Rosa or throughout the North Bay Area, count on the team at Empire Tree Experts.
Whether you have damaged or diseased trees that need treatment or removal, need help pruning tall trees, or need any other maintenance service, we are here to help.
Call Empire Tree Experts today at 707-625-7444 to discuss a free consultation.
