Trunk, root rot topple trees

By C.W. Cameron

For the AJC

Enlarge photo

John Amis, Associated Press Georgia Department of Transportation worker James Bailey clears a tree fallen along a highway in Norcross, Ga., after heavy rains flooded the southeast over recent days.

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People new to Atlanta frequently remark on our beautiful trees, but with heavy rains like the ones in the past week, those trees can start looking like a liability. Is this the storm that will take down that old oak? Is that pine going to hit my house?

Chances are good your trees are fine. Certified arborist Chris Hastings of Arbormedics likes to remind people: “For every tree you see on the ground, 500 have withstood the same conditions.”

Unless a tree comes down because of a tornado or a hurricane, there’s some underlying problem already there, usually root or trunk rot.

When you see a tree toppled over with just a small circle of roots showing above ground, that’s root rot. The roots can be 75 percent gone, but the 25 percent left will still provide enough water to keep the tree going.

That makes root rot difficult to diagnose, Hastings said.

“By the time the roots have that much of a problem, the rot will have reached the trunk,” Hastings said. “If we find a problem at the trunk, we assume it’s worse underground.”

If limbs are falling, that can be a sign of decay in the branches. These are all problems that come from fungi eating away at the woody parts of the tree and causing structural issues.

Homeowners should be looking for these signs of stress all year, said Cheryl Kortemeier of Trees Atlanta.

“Checking your trees isn’t rocket science,” added Hastings. He offered this checklist:

● Walk around every tree. Look at the roots, trunk and branches.

● Check for fungus growing on the trunk or buttress roots (the woody roots above ground).

● Trunks should be round. If they’re not, there may be an internal problem.

● Dead limbs are normal. They’re going to drop. But if leafy branches are dropping, there may be a problem.

If there are problems, it doesn’t mean the tree needs to come down. But it does signal that you need to dig deeper.

“Trust your instincts. If you think something’s wrong, get a professional to gauge how bad it is,” Hastings said.

Kortemeier of Trees Atlanta added: “The important thing is to remember that trees provide a benefit all year around and don’t panic. If you think something’s wrong, be safe and call an arborist.”

The Georgia Forestry Commission keeps a list of professional arborists.

If you decide your trees are pretty healthy, how can you keep them that way? Check your trees often. Keep ivy and other vines off your trees. They can mask and even encourage rot. And pull mulch away from the base of trees.

Kortemeier added that there’s an upside to this huge amount of rain coming now.

“All this rain may cause our trees to drop a lot of leaves, but this is the time for most trees to drop their leaves anyway,” Kortemeier said. “Fewer leaves and weaker fall winds mean we’re less likely to lose trees now than we would in the spring.”