Spring Storm Season: Which Huntsville Trees Fail First

The two species that fail most often here

• Bradford pear. Beautiful for ten years, then it splits. The problem is structural: multiple stems leave the trunk at nearly the same point with bark pinched between them, so there is no real wood holding the union together. Once a Bradford pear reaches 15 to 20 years old, a single strong gust can take half of it.
• Water oak. Extremely common in older Huntsville neighborhoods and notoriously prone to internal decay while still looking healthy on the outside. A water oak with a full green canopy can be hollow at the base.

What to check before the next storm

• Look at the root flare. If the trunk goes into the ground like a telephone pole with no flare, the tree may be planted too deep or developing girdling roots.
• Look for mushrooms or conks at the base. Fungal fruiting bodies mean decay is already established inside.
• Look up for hanging limbs left over from the last storm.
• Look for a lean that has changed, and for cracked or heaving soil on the side opposite the lean. That is a root plate starting to fail.

Timing matters

• Saturated ground is the real danger. After several days of rain, soil loses its grip on the root plate and trees that would shrug off 50 mph wind come out of the ground.
• The cheapest time to deal with a hazardous tree is on a clear Tuesday, not at midnight during a warning. Emergency work costs two to three times a scheduled removal.

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