black locust tree

[diane]

I have a black locust tree in by yard that,is all of the sudden, is putting out sprouts off the roots all over my yard and my neighbors yard. The tree is probably 36yrs old and has some branch die back.
Is this the tree trying to tell me it is dieing?
I have owned my house for 6 years and it has never done this before.

 

[Jay Banks]

The tree is telling us something but what may be hard to decipher. Locust live about 50+ years and sucessfully resprouts from their roots.

It may be on its last legs as you described with the crown dying back. Be care not to let the tree go to long before you have it removed.

It is more safe to remove a partially alive tree than a totally dead and rotting tree.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If you have someone look at it for health, see if they apply growth regulators to suppress the suckering.