Black walnut tree dropping large limbs

[elittle]

Hello, I've been reading this site a lot the last few months learning about chainsaws and other tree related things. It's a very useful resource.
Sunday a black walnut tree in my back yard had a 20ft limb sever itself in an instant, it fell right off the main trunk like it was cut with a saw, it was crazy.
The wood at the point where it broke is very soft in one area, and there is a small hole running the entire length of the 20ft branch. I cut up the limb into pieces and the hole goes all the way through the limb.
Over the last few years there has been no leaves on more and more branches, but now it's becoming unsafe.
I'm thinking it might have some kind of beetle infestation.
My question is, is it safe to assume the tree needs to come down? I would think if the limb instantly fell off at the trunk that whatever is wrong is in the main part of the tree and it can't be saved? Or I'm totally wrong.
I'm thinking of cutting it down myself. I've never done an entire tree but I've cut wood and used saws before. Or is this a horrible idea? I would call my skill level beginner lol.
The tree looks way bigger in the photo, it's 20ft tall and mostly skinny branches. Thanks for any advice!

 

[TNTreeHugger]

That wood looks punky dead to me...
Volcano mulch?
Possibly something girdling the trunk just above the mulch?

 

[elittle]

That wood looks punky dead to me...
Volcano mulch?
Possibly something girdling the trunk at ground level?


View attachment 1148712

I will take some better photos during the day tomorrow, sorry about that.

 

[elittle]

I will take some better photos during the day tomorrow, sorry about that.

That's not mulch, that's the base of the tree lol, it's probably a goner.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

That's not mulch, that's the base of the tree lol, it's probably a goner.

Wow.
Just curious... what's the sign say?

 

[elittle]

That's not mulch, that's the base of the tree lol, it's probably a goner.

 

[elittle]

Sign says " trespassers will be shot"
I had homeless people using the bridge that goes over the creek behind my house to come into my yard and use the hose to shower with. I wouldn't actually shoot them but I wasn't happy about it.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Looks bug infested, too.
My unprofessional opinion is it's a gonner.

This is strange... still guessing it's been girdled by something.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Sign says " trespassers will be shot"
I had homeless people using the bridge that goes over the creek behind my house to come into my yard and use the hose to shower with. I wouldn't actually shoot them but I wasn't happy about it.

You're lucky that limb didn't fall on one of them - they would have sued you - and likely won.

 

[elittle]

Looks bug infested, too.
My unprofessional opinion is it's a gonner.

This is strange... still guessing it's been girdled by something.
View attachment 1148724

It really sucks because it's 75 years old, it was planted by my grandfather when they bought the house and it's always been a part of the yard. I just recently moved here, it was sick when I moved in. The redwood in my yard is about 75ft tall and is 75 years old also.
Edit to add: here is a video of the limb falling off lol:

 

[TNTreeHugger]

I'll bet that's the burlap/basket the root ball was wrapped in after digging?
Nah, I doubt it 75 years ago it was likely a seedling

 

[TNTreeHugger]

It really sucks because it's 75 years old, it was planted by my grandfather when they bought the house and it's always been a part of the yard. I just recently moved here, it was sick when I moved in. The redwood in my yard is about 75ft tall and is 75 years old also.
Edit to add: here is a video of the limb falling off lol:

Google says the average life span for a walnut in CA is between 75 -100 years.
It's had a good life.
Maybe you can make something from the wood?

 

[elittle]

Yeah I don't know. A guy up the street does wood carving or something with chainsaws and giant tree stumps, maybe he'll want a chunk. Unless it's full of holes inside.

 

[buzz sawyer]

Are you sure it's Black Walnut? For 75 years old, the bark doesn't look right. In fact, it looks more like English or Carpathian Walnut than Black Walnut. Have you tried pulling on other branches to see if maybe they're ready to go too?

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Not to be insulting, in the big picture black walnut are often more of a problem than they are a good tree. As a homeowner one appreciates a small, fast-growing black walnut, but the dislike starts to set in when they get mid-sized.

Keep it if you like, but in 5 years you will likely wish you had it removed 5 years ago when it first started giving you problems and the cost of removing it was less.

If you like black walnut plant another one along with slower growing trees that will last longer so the fast-growing tree gives you a nice tree quickly, then remove it as the other trees mature.

 

[elittle]

I'm not sure at all it's a black walnut. I remember hearing my grandma say it years ago, maybe she was wrong. The only thing I like about the tree is the shade. The walnuts and leaves are a PITA to clean up, I'll probably cut it.

 

[elittle]

Are you sure it's Black Walnut? For 75 years old, the bark doesn't look right. In fact, it looks more like English or Carpathian Walnut than Black Walnut. Have you tried pulling on other branches to see if maybe they're ready to go too?

I have not pulled on them. I was going to wait until I had a friend here to start screwing around with it, just in case half the tree decides to instantly fall off.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

I have not pulled on them. I was going to wait until I had a friend here to start screwing around with it, just in case half the tree decides to instantly fall off.

I'm curious to see what you find at the base of the trunk.
Maybe a synthetic type of shade cloth, or weed barrier??

 

[billyboy]

Black walnut will have a dark brown center on the branch with a small ring at the outside which is white. I wonder what was done to that tree to make the trunk base the way it is. Looks like an intervention of some sort.

 

[pdqdl]

Based on the bark, I'd say that is NOT a black walnut. The branching pattern is all wrong, and a 75 year old tree would be at least 60' tall. They get big.