Tree autopsy?

[ambilobe]

I posted the thread below, and still do not know why my trees died. They are now totally dead. See attached pic

I am going to have then cut down, but wanted to know if there is a way to know what killed them.

I can take soil samples or anything after it is taken down.


Is there a service that does this?


I am in long island ny.

I don't want to plant new trees without knowing what happened here.

Thanks






Thread 'Yews slowly dying?' https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/yews-slowly-dying.361828/

 

[Jed1124]

Is the area the Yew are growing in wet? If so it could be Phytophthora Root Rot.
An insect option would be a very heavy infestation of Black Vine Weevil. The larva feed on the roots. The adults notch the needles. The grubs are the worse of the two.
Mealy bugs can be bad on Taxus but I’ve never seen them kill one fast.
My money is on Phytophthora.

 

[ambilobe]

Is the area the Yew are growing in wet? If so it could be Phytophthora Root Rot.
An insect option would be a very heavy infestation of Black Vine Weevil. The larva feed on the roots. The adults notch the needles. The grubs are the worse of the two.
Mealy bugs can be bad on Taxus but I’ve never seen them kill one fast.
My money is on Phytophthora.

Is that someone I can find when they cut the tree down and grind the stump? Can I take a sample and have it analyzed?

 

[Raintree]

That's a good guess Jed, I think the OP posted about these yew before. Without the bleeding canker areas on the trunk. I would go with Armillaria. Reason being is the yellowing of the whole tree canopy.

 

[ambilobe]

That's a good guess Jed, I think the OP posted about these yew before. Without the bleeding canker areas on the trunk. I would go with Armillaria. Reason being is the yellowing of the whole tree canopy.

Would picture of the trunk help?

Any place that I can send soil samples to look for that fungus?

 

[Del_]

My guess is chemicals applied to the thick growing lawn..

 

[ambilobe]

Just standard fertilizer? I use lesco npk products, like 20 0 6 etc

 

[ambilobe]

So I had them taken down, and these are some pictures of the roots. The tree is solid as a rock, and actually they are having a problem grinding. In one area in the center of the root it is soft as if eaten by termites. Looks like a fungus to me. Please take a look, and if you need better images I can get them. Thanks

 

[Raintree]

What you are looking at is a saprobic fungi activity. Most likely not the pathogen culprit.

 

[ambilobe]

So not the cause of death, a result of it? Nothing in those pictures suggested any of the above causes others discussed?