Short answer
Check it from the ground. Look for branches with no leaves in the growing season and twigs that are dry and brittle under the bark. Mushrooms or shelf fungus at the base, deep cracks, falling bark and a new lean are warning signs too. One dead branch can be pruned. Several signs together mean the tree may be failing. Stay out from under it and have a certified arborist check it.
Safety first
Stay out from under a tree with dead or hanging branches, especially in wind. Never climb it or use a chainsaw on it yourself. If it is near a power line, call your power company.
How to tell if a tree is dead or dying
1Bare branches in the growing season
Part of the crown has no leaves while the rest of the tree is full, or dry, curled leaves hang on long after they should drop.
Read all the steps
- Bare branches in the growing season. Part of the crown has no leaves while the rest of the tree is full, or dry, curled leaves hang on long after they should drop.
- Do the scratch test on a twig. Scrape a little bark with your thumbnail. Moist and soft underneath means that part is alive. Dry and brittle, or a twig that snaps, means it is dead.
- Check the trunk and the base. Look for mushrooms or shelf fungus at the base, bark falling off, deep cracks, holes or sawdust. They point to rot or insects inside.
- A new lean or lifted soil. A tree that starts leaning, or soil that cracks and heaves up on one side, may have failing roots. Keep people and pets out from under it.
- Call a certified arborist. They can tell if the tree can be saved or must come down, and they remove it with the right gear. No ladders or chainsaws for you.
- See these signs? Call a tree pro Especially if: half the tree, or the top, has no leaves in the growing season.
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Dead, dormant or just stressed?
- In winter most trees look bare. Do the scratch test on a few twigs instead of judging by the leaves.
- After a drought, a tree may drop leaves early to survive. Water it deeply under the branches every week or two and check again next spring.
- One dead branch is common and can be pruned. Dead wood on several sides, or at the top, is more serious.
- Pines and other evergreens show it differently: needles that dry out and drop from the top down, or across whole branches.
What not to do
- Do not climb the tree, and do not use a chainsaw from a ladder.
- Do not wait for a storm to decide. Dead wood gets brittle and can drop large branches with no warning.
- Do not cut down a tree near the house, a fence or a power line yourself.
- Do not hire a crew that knocks on your door without checking insurance and references.
When to call a landscaper
- Half the tree, or the top, has no leaves in the growing season.
- You see shelf fungus, deep cracks or a hollow at the base.
- The tree has started to lean, or the soil on one side has lifted.
- A dead or dying tree stands close enough to hit the house, a car or a power line.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if my tree is dead?
Do the scratch test on several twigs: moist and soft under the bark means alive, dry and brittle means dead. A tree with no leaves in the growing season and brittle twigs all over is likely dead.
Can a dying tree be saved?
Sometimes. A tree stressed by drought, or with a few dead branches, can recover with deep watering, mulch and pruning. Root rot, a split trunk or heavy decay usually mean it has to come down.
What does fungus at the base of a tree mean?
Mushrooms or shelf fungus at the base usually mean the wood or the roots are rotting inside. The tree can look healthy and still be weak. Have an arborist check it.
Is a dead tree dangerous?
Yes. Dead wood dries out and gets brittle, so branches or the whole tree can fall with little warning, especially in wind or storms.
Who removes a dead tree near a power line?
Call your power company first. They clear trees from their lines, or cut the power so a tree service can work safely.
Does homeowners insurance pay to remove a dead tree?
Usually not before it falls, because removing it counts as upkeep. If a tree falls and damages the house, removal is often covered. Check your policy.