Tree health troubleshooting guidelines
Tree health troubleshooting guidelines (adapted from Johnson et al., 2008).
Link to this table
| If you see: | Potential cause: | You should: |
|---|---|---|
| A flat-sided trunk at the base of the tree | Encircling root restriciting the flow of water and nutrients between the roots and rest of the tree | Excavate to check for encircling root |
| Bark damage near the bottom of the tree | Rodent or string trimmer | Apply mulch/trunk guard to protect from further damage |
| An elm tree with liquid oozing from the trunk | Slime flux or wetwood | Not worry about health |
| An elm tree with bright yellow leaves on one or two branches | Dutch elm disease | Immediately call the university* or an arborist |
| Webs in the branches or webs covering the tips of branches | Fall webworm or Eastern tent caterpillar | Not worry about health> |
| Many branch tips snipped off and laying on the ground | Squirrel damage | Not worry about health |
| Black clumps on branches of a cherry tree | Black knot | Call for advice* |
| Very little growth | Many | Call for advice* |
| Hole in trunk or branches | Many</td | Call for advice* |