A tree adds a lot to a landscape. It makes shade, a haven for birds and wildlife, and they clean the air.
For some people who grew up in one place or planted a tree upon arriving to a new place, a long-living tree in some ways becomes part of the family.
It’s there for all the milestones and celebrations. It’s a refuge, a hideout, a family photo backdrop, a home base, a jungle gym.
But it also ages with us and at some point, parting with a beloved tree becomes unavoidable.
“In the end it’s a living being. They are impacted by weather and age and all sorts of things,” said Lou Meyer, arborist at Davey Tree.
Part of their stately nature, trees have a long reaction cycle to weather patterns, so when weather varies greatly year to year, the likelihood of stress goes up.
Variable weather patterns can stress trees.
Trending warmer temperatures earlier in the year put the trees at risk if they spend energy to leaf out only to get zapped with a hard freeze.
“That takes a tremendous amount of storage,” Meyer said. “Trees don’t follow the Gregorian calendar. When it’s 60 degrees outside, that sends a signal.”
As someone who is around trees daily, Meyer said he appreciates the strong attachment people can have with one.
“I’ve seen people get emotional about it,” he said. “I’ve had people cry about trees. I’ve had our arborists cry about trees.”
He recalled one family in Pasadena, Md., that calls him annually to check on their “Grandmother Tree,” a revered silver maple in their backyard.
“The fact that they take the time to differentiate that tree from all the others is really cool,” he said.
The obvious cases are often easiest to accept, he said.
A dead tree near the house or other structure should be addressed before it becomes a disaster.
Even a living tree could pose a threat.
“It may be green and living but if there’s a target underneath it, it may be time to go,” Meyer said.
A tree that’s leaning too far is one indicator, a large cavity inviting decay is another.
Conversely, in some cases, a tree can fail the eye test, looking like it’s in rough shape but still be healthy enough to stick around.
Anthracnose in sycamores, for instance, can disfigure foliage but is rarely fatal in this region, he said.
In those and other cases, bringing in a certified arborist to inspect a tree’s health can make what might seem like a tough decision easier to make.
Many offer free inspections which allows homeowners to make a plan for care or removal.
Meyer said one of the goals for a keeping a healthy tree is maintaining its crown, so some thinning of dead limbs or limbs that lay or rub against another limb may be in order if a tree is saveable.
If it is time for a tree to go, people can take comfort in it being recycled, either into mulch, lumber or firewood or even laying on a forest floor to decay and feed the soil and provide wildlife habitat.
Leaving a good portion of the trunk standing — 15 or 20 feet isn’t too much — is another way for the tree to have a presence and purpose in housing wildlife, from owls to invertebrates.
For sizable trees or those with much sentimental value, Meyer said it’s not unusual for landowners to turn the truck into art as a carved statue or use the lumber to make furniture.
“I’ve seen some neat ones,” he said.