Giant Red Oak - Kill it or Keep it?

[j7stin]

This old red oak in front of my house has some dead limbs. I'll need to remove those at least, but I need to decide whether or not to remove the whole tree.

The tree service who did the estimate said the entire tree may be dying and that if I just cut off dead limbs I might end up cutting more of them off in a few years. It may be a better plan to just cut it down. I need to figure out what is going on with the tree--why it appears to be dying, and if it is actually dying.

These are the possible reasons for the dead limbs I have come up with so far. Please shoot them down and propose new reasons

• Tree is being crowded out somehow by the Horse Chestnut butting up against it. This is suggested by the fact that the dead limbs are mostly the ones that contact the Chestnut.
• Tree is having soil or root issues which are killing the tree. This is suggested by the fungus growing at the root (according to the tree-cutting contractor).
• It is simply dying of old age. The house behind it is 100 years old. The tree may be up to 30 years older than that. Northern Red Oak usually lives for 200 years, which suggests that it is over the hill, but not near the end of its life span.

I need to answer these questions in order to decide to kill it or keep it:

1. What is ailing this tree?
2. Is it curable?
3. Should I expect much more of it to die in the coming decade?

Thanks in advance, and please let me know if you require more information!

 

[michigan22]

keep the tree its a very pretty tree

 

[TNTreeHugger]

I would have that taken down. It looks top heavy to one side. If you cut out the dead, it will only make it worse. Don't you think?

 

[michigan22]

I would have that taken down. It looks top heavy to one side. If you cut out the dead, it will only make it worse. Don't you think?

i think its still savable

 

[bayard]

this might be a city tree, call them. they might take it down.

 

[j7stin]

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this might be a city tree, call them. they might take it down.

unfortunately, I am responsible for the tree according to my city: "The City of Tacoma, in general, does not maintain trees in the rights-of-way that are not abutting City-owned private property (this includes pruning and removal);"

 

[buzz sawyer]

Looks like some branches are dying on the good side as well. I'd consider taking it down. I had a large white oak near my house that looked very healthy and one day it just fell over - rotted at the base. Still had plenty of healthy looking limbs and leaves on it, much better looking than yours.

 

[ATH]

First...FIND A NEW TREE GUY!!!

If he said this:
"Tree is having soil or root issues which are killing the tree. This is suggested by the fungus growing at the root (according to the tree-cutting contractor)."

He knows next to nothing about trees. That is fungus from heart rot within the tree and has little to do with what is happening in the soil. I think it is Ganoderma, but am not promising that...

visit treesaregood.org and find an Arborist. Expect to pay for a diagnosis rather than just looking for bids. Probably worth having a full tree risk assessment done on that (that qualification is also listed at the treesaregood.org site). You need to know how extensive that decay associated with the conks is before making a decision. If it is extensive, the decision to remove may be a lot easier.

As @TNTreeHugger said, it is going to be very lopsided. I ask clients "What function is this tree serving". If it is purely aesthetic, than you can't take much 'ugly'. If it is shading the house and you don't have to look at the back side, then maybe that 'ugly' is more tolerable.

 

[ATH]

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unfortunately, I am responsible for the tree according to my city: "The City of Tacoma, in general, does not maintain trees in the rights-of-way that are not abutting City-owned private property (this includes pruning and removal);"

Most municipalities do put that burden of maintenance on the adjacent landowner. HOWEVER, if it is hazardous, most States place the liability on the City if it is in the City's right of way. I don't claim to know Washington law...but that would be unique if it were not the case there. In Ohio, if a city-owned tree has identifiable hazards and they fail to address those hazards they are 100% liable if it fails and causes harm. (Note, that their duty of care places the expectation that they examine the trees to identify such hazards...just like they have to examine bridges, dams, brakes on their vehicles, etc...). Again, I am not saying that is the case in WA...but I'd be surprised if it is not.

 

[ATH]

The other "city" issue, is if they deem it not hazardous, they may not allow you to remove it.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

First...FIND A NEW TREE GUY!!!


As @TNTreeHugger said, it is going to be very lopsided. I ask clients "What function is this tree serving". If it is purely aesthetic, than you can't take much 'ugly'. If it is shading the house and you don't have to look at the back side, then maybe that 'ugly' is more tolerable.

True, ugly it would be, but being lopsided would also make it heavier on one side. That's what I was thinking, wouldn't that make it more dangerous?

 

[ATH]

Not necessarily... If it is a strong tree, it can tolerate the lean. If it is on its way out because of decay, they need to be concerned lean or no lean.

 

[unclemoustache]

Yes, get a certified master arborist out there (not just 'certified arborist').

Keep it if at all possible.

 

[sb47]

I would check my homeowners policy. You have been informed it is possibly a dangerous tree.
Now that is labeled hazardous tree, "YOU" bear the responsibility if a limb falls and hurts someone or property.

 

[Marine5068]

This old red oak in front of my house has some dead limbs. I'll need to remove those at least, but I need to decide whether or not to remove the whole tree.

The tree service who did the estimate said the entire tree may be dying and that if I just cut off dead limbs I might end up cutting more of them off in a few years. It may be a better plan to just cut it down. I need to figure out what is going on with the tree--why it appears to be dying, and if it is actually dying.

These are the possible reasons for the dead limbs I have come up with so far. Please shoot them down and propose new reasons

• Tree is being crowded out somehow by the Horse Chestnut butting up against it. This is suggested by the fact that the dead limbs are mostly the ones that contact the Chestnut.
• Tree is having soil or root issues which are killing the tree. This is suggested by the fungus growing at the root (according to the tree-cutting contractor).
• It is simply dying of old age. The house behind it is 100 years old. The tree may be up to 30 years older than that. Northern Red Oak usually lives for 200 years, which suggests that it is over the hill, but not near the end of its life span.

I need to answer these questions in order to decide to kill it or keep it:

1. What is ailing this tree?
2. Is it curable?
3. Should I expect much more of it to die in the coming decade?

Thanks in advance, and please let me know if you require more information!

I'd try to keep the tree for now. Just trim off any dead or potentially dangerous limbs.
It'll probably out live us all still.
You could have an actual arborist come look at it and determine if its diseased or stressed some other way.
Then you'd be able to make a better guess for future of the tree.
They do make great firewood after a good two year seasoning period though. Lots of cords of wood there too.

 

[sb47]

That fungus growing on the trunk down near the ground, tells me that tree is in serious trouble.

 

[ATH]

There is simply not enough in these pictures to say "serious trouble" with such certainty. I'll agree that the situation is not promising, but it could be shallow in the tree. Needs on site examination to make any worthwhile diagnosis.

 

[BC WetCoast]

From the pic, it appears to me that most of the dead is from a single codom stem. It would be useful if it could be determined what killed the codom, although this isn't always possible. Pesonally, I would recommend the stem get analyzed (resistograph or tomography) to determine the sound wall thickness, deadwood the canopy and thin out the rest of the canopy.