Dawn of the dead wood: How to spot zombie trees
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Your trees could be the spookiest thing in your yard this Halloween. Photo: Slawek Staszczuk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Zombies in scary movies emerge dramatically from underground or shriek to announce their presence — but in your backyard, they might be hiding in plain sight.
Why it matters: The undead you might actually need to worry about are "zombie trees," which can appear perfectly healthy until they topple onto your house.
State of decay: A tree's demise can be a long, subtle process caused by a number of conditions.
- Root rot, fungi, pathogens, bacteria and destructive species like the emerald ash borer can damage a tree enough to leave it vulnerable, Davey Tree arborist Michael Cassidy tells Axios.
Some conditions fit the Halloween theme nicely.
- There's spooky-sounding fungi dead man's fingers and brittle cinder or bacterial disease slime flux, which Cassidy says looks like, "a soaking, stinking trunk" with "a huge wound."
- "I guess it's closest to the zombies from 'The Last of Us,'" Cassidy says with a laugh. "Fungal-based zombieism."
Zoom in: Some tree species are more at-risk than others.
- Ohio's oak trees are susceptible to deadly oak wilt; the destructive Dutch elm disease threatens elms; blue spruce are so vulnerable to Rhizosphaera needle cast that Cassidy says they're no longer "a viable species" here.
Yes, but: Dying trees can look normal and healthy to the untrained eye.
- "You can have enough fibrous root growth that it's still collecting nutrients and can have a perfectly full canopy, even on a tree that's severely compromised in the root zone," Cassidy says.
Threat level: That's when things get dangerous.
- Very wet conditions, strong winds, ice storms and heavy snow can all cause dead or decaying trees to fall.
- Experts like Cassidy make "the targets beneath" a tree the most important factor in recommending removal.
- If your child's bedroom is nearby, it's probably not worth waiting.
What to watch for: Cassidy's biggest suggestion is to walk around your trees seasonally and track any noticeable differences.
- Pay attention to the base, where fungi tend to grow, and take pictures of notable mushrooms.
- If your trees are looking weird, smelling bad or not fruiting normally, it might be time to call a tree professional.
The bottom line: Trees are a beloved part of our spaces — check in this fall to ensure they don't come back to bite you.