Most trees in Irish gardens will live long, healthy lives without ever becoming dangerous. But sometimes a tree can develop structural issues that make it a genuine safety risk - especially during the storms that regularly sweep across the West of Ireland.
Here are five warning signs that a tree on your property may need professional attention.
1. Large cracks or splits in the trunk. A crack that runs deep into the trunk or branch union is a serious structural weakness. If you can see a split that goes more than a few centimetres deep, call a tree surgeon for an assessment.
2. Dead or dying branches in the crown. A tree with significant deadwood - branches over 5cm in diameter with no leaves or bark - is shedding limbs that could fall at any time. This is especially dangerous if the dead branches are overhanging your house, driveway or garden paths.
3. Fungal growth on the trunk or roots. Mushrooms or bracket fungi growing from the base of the tree or on the trunk are a sign of internal decay. Species like honey fungus, chicken of the woods, and Ganoderma can rot the structural wood of the tree, making it unstable even though it still looks healthy from the outside.
4. Leaning trunk. A tree that's leaning more than 15 degrees from vertical may have root damage or soil failure on the opposite side. If the lean has developed recently or is accompanied by soil heaving at the base, the tree is at high risk of falling.
5. Dead or dying foliage on one side. If a significant portion of the canopy has sparse, yellowing or dead leaves while the rest looks healthy, it often indicates root damage, disease or a girdling root on that side - all of which can lead to sudden failure.
If you notice any of these signs, don't wait for a storm to test the tree's strength. Contact our dangerous tree team on 085 144 7348 and we'll carry out a free, no-obligation assessment.
