10+ Warning Signs a Tree Needs to Be Removed

Trees add immense value to your property — but a diseased, damaged, or structurally compromised tree can become your biggest liability. In South Jersey, where storms, hurricanes, and nor'easters regularly stress the landscape, recognizing the warning signs of a failing tree is essential to protecting your home, family, and neighbors.

Sign #1: Large Dead Branches (Widow Makers)

Dead branches — called "widow makers" by arborists — are among the most dangerous tree hazards. Lacking the living wood flexibility to bend in wind, dead branches snap suddenly, often without warning. A dead branch over your home, car, deck, or play area is a serious liability. If more than 25–30% of the canopy is dead, removal is usually the appropriate response.

Sign #2: Hollow or Decayed Trunk

Hollow trunks are structurally compromised. While some trees survive for years with hollow cores, the wall thickness remaining determines whether the tree can withstand wind loading. As a rule, if the hollow exceeds one-third of the trunk diameter, structural failure is likely during the next major storm. Signs include soft wood, fungal growth, and audible hollowness when tapped.

Sign #3: Significant Lean

Not all leaning trees are dangerous — many trees grow at an angle and are perfectly stable. The concern is a sudden change in lean, which indicates root failure. Check for heaving soil or cracks in the ground on the opposite side of the lean — a classic sign that the root plate is separating from the ground. This is a time-critical emergency.

Sign #4: Fungal Growth at the Base

Mushrooms, conks (shelf fungi), or other fungal growth at the trunk base or on major roots signals internal wood decay. Certain fungi — like Ganoderma (artist's conk) or Armillaria (honey mushroom) — indicate significant structural wood rot that may not be visible externally. Trees with fungal infestations at the base should be professionally assessed immediately.

Sign #5: Cracks and Deep Splits in the Trunk

Vertical cracks, seams, or splits running along the trunk indicate structural weakness. This is different from normal bark furrows — look for cracks that extend into the wood. Co-dominant stems (two main trunks with included bark at the union) are particularly vulnerable to splitting, especially on maples and cherries.

Sign #6: Root Damage

Roots within 6–8 feet of the trunk are structural. Severing or damaging these roots during excavation, driveway installation, or utility work can destabilize a tree that otherwise appears healthy. Watch for: severed surface roots, signs of soil compaction from construction equipment, trenching near the base, or chemical exposure. Root-damaged trees often show decline 2–5 years later.

Sign #7: Multiple Trunk Wounds or Missing Bark

Wounds (from equipment strikes, improper pruning, or storm damage) that fail to close properly invite disease and wood-boring insects. A tree with significant girdling wounds — wounds that encircle the trunk — may be slowly dying from the disruption of the nutrient flow just beneath the bark.

Sign #8: Crown Dieback (Death from the Top Down)

Progressive dieback starting at the crown tips is a classic sign of root stress, vascular disease (like verticillium wilt or Dutch elm disease), or systemic decline. If the topmost branches are consistently leafing out late, showing sparse foliage, or dying back while lower branches remain healthy, the tree is in trouble. Crown dieback is often a multi-year process — start planning removal before the tree becomes a hazard.

Sign #9: Insect Infestation

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has devastated ash trees throughout New Jersey, creating millions of structurally compromised dead trees. Look for D-shaped exit holes, S-shaped galleries under bark, and crown dieback. Ash trees with more than 30–40% canopy loss due to EAB are generally past the point of treatment and should be removed before they fail — which happens rapidly in dead trees.

Sign #10: The Tree Has Already Fallen or Partially Failed

If a major limb has already fallen, the structural integrity of the remainder is suspect. The stress of the failure, combined with the conditions that caused it, often predict additional failure. After any major limb drop, have a professional arborist assess what remains.

Additional Warning Signs

• The tree is growing into power lines
• Tree roots are lifting pavement, damaging foundations, or blocking drains
• The tree has been topped (severely reducing its lifespan and structural integrity)
• A new construction project damaged more than 25% of the root zone
• The tree is dead — no leaves at all in season

If you've spotted any of these warning signs on your property, don't wait. Contact Jimmy's Tree Experts LLC at (609) 556-3010 for a professional assessment. We serve all of Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, and South Jersey. Early removal is always safer and less expensive than emergency removal after failure.