Types of Tree Damage You Should Look Out For

Your property’s landscaping is an investment. Whether as a homeowner, land developer or commercial properties owner, knowing some of the types of tree damage can alert you early before damage to property or other trees. As you Roswell Tree Service company, Trees of Georgia would like to share some of the common types of tree damage to look for and solutions to addressing them effectively.

Gone With The Wind, Storm Tree Damage

While Georgia is a great place to call home, it does have its climate challenges that can cause havoc on trees. Spring is gorgeous in the state, but we are known for some pretty big storms bringing dangerous lightning, torrential rains and brutal wind gusts. All of which can damage the trees on your property. Some of the biggest signs to watch for are:

Lightning Damage – Often when a tree is struck by lightning the damage is obvious. Some of the signs are:

Large slits of cracks running down the tree trunk
Limbs that have been broken or sheared right off
Large sections of tree bark that are missing
Charred (burnt) areas on the tree
A tree that appears limp, sparse or wilting leaves

And while many times a tree can survive a direct strike, often lightning can run straight through the tree’s root system effectively killing the tree.

Wind Damage – Tornadoes, while common to Georgia, don’t have to hit your property to cause wind damage. Large gusts of wind can cause trees that are already vulnerable to incur damage including, falls. Trees that are overgrown and not pruned properly can end up with broken limbs and damage to the trunk itself. Tornado weather can cause tree trunks to twist, breaking the wood fibers inside the trunk, Trees with compromised root systems due to soil erosion, disease and pests can fall.

Drought – While we do get our torrential rains in the Spring, Georgia is known for its extreme heat in the summer. While many homeowners are careful to water garden plants and bushes, many times trees are forgotten.

Rain – While rain can be a friend in helping to keep your landscaping watered, it can have disastrous results for trees with compromised soil and root systems. Torrential rains can compact and wash away soil. Standing water can hinder proper root growth and cause rot and decay at the base of your trees.

Ice! – While Georgia does not experience as much wintry weather as our northern neighbors, we do get our share of ice. Unfortunately ice and the occasional snow, is heavy often leading to broken tree branches and downed trees.

Bugs, Bugs, Bugs!

If Georgia is known for one thing, it is our bugs. And while bees and butterflies can bring beauty and much needed pollination, others can wreak havoc on your trees and landscaping overall. Here are a few of the most common tree pests to watch out for.

Pine Bark Beetles – #1 on the offender list, Georgia is home to five species of the pine bark beetle, which causes over five million dollars a year in tree damage. Signs of this culprit include:

Beetles found on the tree itself
Pitch tubes, are yellow glue or gummy sap formations found running down the tree trunk
Holes in the tree bark with a reddish-brown dust around them
Pine needles that have turned dull yellow to in the end a dead- tan brown
Reproduction Weevils – These pests are known for causing havoc to pine seedlings, especially in heavily cut areas.

Pin Tip Moths – Georgia is home to tree species of this moth. Best known for living on Loblolly pine and shortleaf pines their infestations result in stunted and deformed trees.

Defoliators – While these pests most often appear in seasonal or yearly cycles, while they may not kill a tree, they can leave them vulnerable to other pests and diseases. This is especially true for valuable hardwoods.

Twig Girdlers and Pruners – Known for their tastes of hardwoods, these types of beetles can cause extreme damage to tree branches.

Don’t Forget About Wildlife

While it’s always exciting to see some of our more natural, furry wildlife friends around our yards, it can come at a price to landscaping and trees. Seedlings can fall victim to hungry deer and rabbits. Squirrels can cause issues for city trees by stripping bark and branches.

But most destructive is the beaver. While important to water conservation and wildlife habitats, these hungry guys have caused upwards of $45 million dollars a year to pines and hardwoods for landowners.

Your Tree Service for Roswell Shares Tree Disease At Its Worst

While pests and weather can play significant roles in tree damage, tree disease is a major concern for Georgia property owners. While often tree disease can be caused by natural and environmental factors, tree placement and poor tree care can play key roles in causing disease and decay.

Some of the most common of these are:

Powdery Mildew- This powdery mildew usually develops in the hot humid months of summer. It appears as a white dust on leaves. Smaller ornamental trees are especially vulnerable often due to tree crowding leading to poor air circulation. Left untreated this disease can kill off the affected areas of the tree.
Black Knot – Is a tree disease most seen in purple leaf plum trees during the winter months. These appear as large bumps or “knots” in tree branches that are dark-black. These knots end up damaging tree branches making them susceptible to pests and breakage.
Oak Leaf Blister – Appearing in all oak tree species, this disease results in blisters on the oak tree’s leaves in Spring. While It may not kill the tree, it results in undesirable discoloring and early leaf drop.

A More Common Culprit, People

While nature definitely has its foes when it comes to tree damage, a major culprit is people. Often damage occurs from simply ignoring common maintenance such as tree pruning, poor tree care and improper tree planting placement.

As one of the leading tree service Roswell companies, Trees of Georgia understands the importance of proper tree care and tree removal services. Whether your need is tree trimming, tree removal or stump grinding, our trained team of tree service experts are here to assure tree damage is kept at bay on your property.

Trees of Georgia, Your Tree Service Roswell GA Experts, Keeps Tree Damage Away

Trees of Georgia is ready to address your Roswell Tree Service needs, as well as most areas of local North Georgia. Our caring expert tree professionals take the stress and worry out both properly caring for your trees with trimming maintenance and tree removal to assure damaged and diseased trees do not compromise your home or commercial property.