Winter is a great time to get deadwood removed. I am sure many people wonder how to identify deadwood in the winter. When a hardwood tree or branch is dead in the summer, it doesn’t have any leaves. Deciduous trees do not have leaves in the winter, therefore leaves can’t be used to determine deadwood. Live branches are flexible and green and moist on the inside. Dead branches crack. But what if the branch is too high to bend? Find out other ways to identify deadwood in the winter.

Fungi Helps Identify Deadwood

Most often, fungi don’t grow on live wood. It may grow on a live tree, however the wood where the fungi is attached is usually deadwood. There are many types of fungi, and they love decay. Some fungi are obvious, but others may not be as easily identified. Anything that even remotely resembles a fungus should be investigated.

Using Bark to Identify Deadwood

Another way to identify deadwood is by inspecting the bark. Healthy trees have bark that is firmly attached, and uniform in structure and color. Defective bark on branches or the tree trunk is a very easy way to tell that there is deadwood, or something suspicious going on. What should you look for? Loose bark, rotting bark, missing bark, or bark stained with black. All these bark problems are signs of possible problems.

Unusual Branch Structure on Dead Branches / Trees

Branch structure is also a very good way to tell whether a branch or tree is dead. Healthy branches are complex with numerous twists and turns. When branches die, usually the smaller auxiliary twigs fall off. Over time, larger pieces fall off, leaving a single stick. This is also what happens to the overall tree when it dies. At first, it will still have branches. As time passes, the branches fall off. Finally, only a stalk is left. These stalks are usually very rotten and difficult to remove. It takes a long time for all of a trees branches to fall off.

Want to Find Out More? Check out these sites!

How to Tell if a Tree is Dead or 4 Signs Your Oak Tree is Dying