Trees may be resilient plants, but by no means does this mean they are immune to structural problems. Physical impairment of your tree can be quite critical, as if it is not addressed, you stand a high risk of property loss. Additionally, any spontaneous breakage of tree limbs could also put bystanders at risk of trauma. Therefore, although having a tree in your yard can be great for your kerb appeal, it would also be imperative to know how to spot the signs of one that needs to be removed. A common culprit for the rapid deterioration of your tree's health is the development of a fungal infection. Here is how you can know if your tree has been infested by fungus so you can have it felled with immediate haste.

The steady spread of rot on your tree

A telltale symptom of a fungal infection is when your tree suddenly starts to show signs of decay. To check for this symptom, you should carefully inspect the base of the tree. This rot will usually start at the bottom and steadily climb up your tree as the fungus eats away at the bark of the tree. If the decay is extensive, you could find that it has spread as far as the branches of your tree too!

Look out for mysterious hollowed out parts of the tree or unusual pockets in the wood. These hollows usually mean that the fungi have eaten past the bark and right into the trunk of the tree, which would indicate the structure may not be intact. Have an arborist carry out an extensive checkup to determine if felling would be imperative.

The branches have become hard and brittle

Tree branches are strong, but they have some degree of bendability to them. Nevertheless, not many homeowners take the time to touch and feel their tree's branches to check the health of their tree. Thus, when a tree begins to deteriorate, they will only notice once the branches start to fall off. However, before the branches fall off, their health will begin to decline while they are still attached to the tree.

The primary way to know that something is off kilter is when the branches start to harden, as this would indicate they are not receiving adequate moisture. Moreover, you could also find inexplicable cracks and splits on the surface of the branches where the fungus has eaten away at the wood. If the branches keep falling off, the tree will eventually die, and you would need tree felling.