Robert W Walton Jr., consulting arborist
since 1978

"When experience is important!"

 
 

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TREE EVALUATION

1
Tree evaluations can give some forewarning to structural problems or weaknesses that may result in tree failure (limbs or leaders breaking) or complete tree failure (the tree falling over).


The split leaders (left) were
the result of weak attachments because
of acute branch angles and included bark
of co-dominante stems.
Fortunately the failure only resulted in
minor property damage and no injuries.

The result of this same defect can be seen
on the multi-trunk melaleuca to the right.
This failure landed on a car.

Multi-trunks can be attractive
but are very weak.
An evaluation of the live oak (left) determined that there was extensive root decay. The crown had severe dieback and, duringthe winter, the area within the dripline had a large number of honey mushrooms (right). These honey mushrooms are the fruiting body of oak root fungus, Armillaria mellea. The tree was not removed and fell over. Fortunately, there were no injuries.


Above are the basidiocarps
of the white rot,
Ganoderma applanatum.

CONKS & MUSHROOMS
-- signs of decay --

By the time conks appear,
the fungus has been decomposing
the wood for years.

Breaking off the conk or removing
the mushrooms does nothing to
stop the fungus. The majority of the fungus, the mycelium, is in the
wood or cambium.

Decay detection may help determine
the extent of internal decay.


The conks of Ganoderma lucidum,
a white rot (above) are a sign of
decay inside the base of this trunk. This fungus kills the cambium as well as rotting the wood. This will lead to complete tree failure.


2
An evaluation can also spot conditions causing tree stress.
Stressed trees are more susceptible to deseases and insect
attacks than are healthy trees.
The blue gum eucalyptus (left), Eucalyptus globulus, were killed by the eucalyptus long-horned beetle. The beetle is a secondary infestation and (in the blue gum's natural habitat) a natural weeding agent of stressed and unhealthy trees. The trees were stressed after years of drought and no supplemental irrigation. The beetles are able to enter the cambium area of the tree where the larvae destroy the tree's ability to transport water resulting in death.

Above are the channels the feeding
larvae create under the bark.
This is what is left of the tree's
vascular bundle.

There are different bark beetles
for different genus of trees,
but the result is the same and
the primary cause is stress.


3
An evaluation is also invaluable in protecting the health
and future of specimen trees and recommending
proper care & maintenance.

This California sycamore, Plantanus racemosa, had an evaluation prior to starting construction of a sub-division. As a result of the evaluation, competing trees within the dripline were removed. The area within the dripline was mulched and a construction fence was placed approximately five feet outside the dripline to protect the root zone during construction.

This tree has since been successfully registered as the National co-champion for the largest California sycamore. It is located in Poway, California.
Call 619-443-1770 for an evaluation before it's too late!