You walk outside after another scorching Arizona summer and notice a tree on your property looks concerning. The leaves seem sparse, branches appear dry, and bark is peeling in sections. You wonder if your tree is dying or dead, or just stressed from the extreme heat.
Learning to spot a dead or dying tree protects your property from safety hazards and prevents costly emergency tree removal. Arizona's climate creates unique challenges for tree health, making it essential to recognize warning signs and symptoms before monsoon storms turn a weakened tree into a dangerous situation.
Why Trees Die in Arizona's Harsh Climate
Arizona's environment stresses even the hardiest tree species. Summer temperatures exceeding 115 degrees, intense UV exposure, and prolonged drought weaken the tree's ability to survive. Sudden monsoon downpours, high winds, and soil that fluctuates between bone-dry and waterlogged create additional problems for tree roots and overall tree health.
Common threats include bark beetles and other pests that attack stressed trees, root rot from disease and improper irrigation, and wind damage during storm season. A sick tree showing early symptoms might be saved with proper tree care, but it's too late to save a tree once it becomes fully dead.
Signs Your Tree Is Dying or Dead
Recognizing the important signs of a dying tree helps you evaluate the tree's condition and decide whether to call a professional tree service or arborist for assessment.
Bark Problems and Peeling
A healthy tree has intact tree bark that protects living tissue underneath. When bark peels away in large sections or the tree's trunk shows extensive cracking, these could be signs that the tree is experiencing serious decline. Look for areas where peeling bark exposes dry, gray wood. Diseased or dead trees often have bark that falls off easily, revealing damage underneath.
Dead Branches and Brittle Limbs
One of the most obvious signs a tree is dying involves dead twigs and brittle branches throughout the canopy. Grab a small branch and bend it. Living branches flex before breaking and show green tissue inside. Dead branches snap cleanly with minimal pressure. If the majority of the tree has bare branches that break easily, the tree may be dead or close to it.
Lack of New Growth
During spring, a healthy tree produces new shoots, leaves, or flowers. A tree showing no signs of new growth by late spring is in trouble. The lack of green tissue in buds could be a sign that something is seriously wrong. Check multiple areas, as partial die-back might affect one section while other parts remain alive.
Dead Leaves and Foliage Issues
Brown, wilted, or dead leaves outside normal seasonal patterns indicate the tree is experiencing health problems. For deciduous trees, leaves that never appear in spring signal the tree is dead. For evergreens, widespread browning means severe stress or death. Look for signs like discolored foliage that persists when it should be green.
Fungus and Fungal Growth
Mushrooms or fungal growth at the tree's base indicate internal rot and disease. Fungus feeds on decaying wood, so its presence means significant tree rot inside the trunk or root system. This is often a sure sign that something is wrong with the tree's structural integrity.
Root Damage and Exposed Tree Roots
Signs of root damage include exposed tree roots that appear dry or decayed, a leaning tree that tilts increasingly, and soil that seems disturbed around the tree. Root damage weakens the tree and makes it unstable. A tree is leaning when its root system fails to anchor it properly.
Trunk Problems
Large cracks in the tree trunk, cavities, or hollow-sounding wood when tapped point to internal decay. The tree's trunk should be solid and intact. Damage here compromises the entire tree structure.
Dead or Dormant: Understanding the Difference
Some trees enter dormancy during extreme heat or drought, confusing homeowners trying to tell if a tree is dead or just resting. A dormant tree conserves resources temporarily. A dead tree will never recover.
Testing for Life
Use your fingernail to scratch a small area of bark on a thin branch. If you see a green cambium layer underneath, that branch is alive. Test multiple branches to evaluate your tree thoroughly. No green tissue anywhere means the tree is dead. This simple test helps you tell if the tree might be dead or is simply dormant.
Seasonal Considerations
Research your tree species to understand normal patterns. Some Arizona trees naturally drop leaves during drought. Knowing whether your tree is dead or dormant requires understanding its typical behavior.
Arizona Tree Species and Their Symptoms
Palo Verde Trees
These desert natives show distress through branches dying from tips inward, pest holes in bark, and loss of characteristic green color. Disease and bark beetles commonly attack stressed Palo Verde trees.
Mesquite Trees
Watch for dieback starting in the canopy and oozing sap indicating borers. Mesquites stressed by overwatering develop root rot that can kill the tree.
Palm Trees
Dying palms display brown fronds, drooping trunks, and soft trunk bases. Once the growing point dies, you cannot save the tree.
Citrus Trees
Citrus trees show yellowing leaves, twig dieback, and reduced fruit. Split bark indicates serious disease problems.
Safety Risks of a Dead Tree on Your Property
A dead tree becomes a hazard quickly. Monsoon winds turn dead branches into projectiles damaging roofs, vehicles, and power lines. A sick or dying tree with compromised roots topples easily.
If your tree is experiencing multiple symptoms, especially structural issues like leaning or large dead sections over structures, you need to remove a dead tree promptly. The tree may need immediate attention to prevent property damage or injury. Consult an arborist to evaluate the tree and determine if the tree would pose risks during storms.
When to Call a Professional Arborist
Some situations require expert tree care assessment. Call a certified arborist or tree specialist when you notice sudden changes, large dieback sections, structural problems, pest infestation, or fungal growth.
A professional tree care company provides a comprehensive evaluation, including root system checks, internal decay testing, and structural integrity assessment. An arborist has specialized tools to detect problems invisible from the outside.
Questions to ask: Are you certified? Do you carry insurance? What does your assessment include? Can you provide recommendations to save a dying tree if possible?
You might try to save a sick tree with proper intervention. Treatment options include deep watering, pest management, pruning diseased sections, and soil amendments. Sometimes you're able to brace the tree to keep it stable while it recovers. However, if signs that your tree is dying indicate it's too late to save, safe tree removal becomes necessary.
The Tree Removal Process
For trees beyond saving, professional tree removal requires expertise and equipment. The process includes assessing fall zones, rigging branches for controlled lowering, sectional removal near structures, stump grinding, and debris cleanup. A tree service handles this safely.
Most residential tree removals complete in one day. The tree care company will remove any dead material and ensure your property is clean.
Take Action to Protect Your Property
Learning to recognize signs of a dying tree prevents hazards and emergency situations. See signs early, and you may save the tree with proper care. Notice a tree showing multiple symptoms, and you need a professional evaluation.
If you see peeling bark extensively, dead twigs and brittle branches throughout, fungal growth around a tree, or a leaning tree, schedule an assessment immediately. These are warning signs requiring prompt attention.
American Tree & Landscape serves Phoenix Metro homeowners with expert tree health evaluations and safe removal services. Our certified arborist, Moe Meghoufi, personally evaluates every tree and determines whether the tree may need treatment or removal. We understand Arizona tree species and the unique disease and pest problems they face.
Call (480) 495-3518 for a free on-site evaluation. We will assess your tree, explain options to save a dying tree when possible, and provide transparent pricing for any needed tree care or tree removal services. Protecting your property starts with recognizing when a tree becomes a risk.