What's Wrong With This Tree

[jfklein]

A tree at my condo building, shown in the photo below, has been slowly dying over the past several years.



As the photo shows there are dead branches at the top of the tree and some branches have wilted brown leaves.

I believe it is a birch tree, although I have little knowledge about different tree types. It was planted in 1979, when the building was built, making it 43 years old this year.

In 2006 a downspout was removed from the building which fed water to the lawn where the tree is. I have been thinking that this is the cause of the tree's demise, but I really don't know.

Can anyone tell me why this tree is dying?

 

[Del_]

Does much rain and snow runoff come from the cement area in the background?

Is much salt used on the cement areas?

 

[Ikeholt]

Water is an important thing, however I would bet it has birch borer. Look for holes in the bark and soft dead patches in the bark.

 

[jfklein]

Does much rain and snow runoff come from the cement area in the background?

No. The cement area (actually asphalt) is on the same level and slopes towards the street, as does the lawn area, so any rain water flows to the street not the lawn area.

Is much salt used on the cement areas?

No salt is used in the area in the background. But salt is sometimes used on the sidewalks in the winter including the sidewalk that goes past the tree.

 

[jfklein]

Water is an important thing, however I would bet it has birch borer. Look for holes in the bark and soft dead patches in the bark.

I took a look just now. I didn't see anything that looked like an insect hole. I took a photo. Apparently I can't attach it to my message so I put it on my Google drive here:


Do you think it might simply be old age? Some sites on the internet say that birch trees only live 30-50 years.

 

[mikewhite85]

Late in the game here. Birch trees aren't particularly hardy trees. Judging by the look of the ground it appears pretty compact. A natural forest tree like a birch favors loose soil with leaf litter and organic material decomposing under its canopy. Beyond this you have a lot of asphalt and concrete, creating a "heat island effect"

Birch borers will often follow suit on a stressed tree.

I recommend calling a local ISA certified arborist to evaluate the tree. I would likely mulch as wide a radius as possible and put it on a watering program.

 

[ATH]

joining the late party

first thing I would look for also be bronze birch borer

second would armored scale