I am looking for a second opinion before removing a black walnut. There was some damage to the base of the tree last year and this year the top half of the tree looks dead. There is some new growth coming up from the base of the tree and the tree faithfully produced walnuts. My tree person thinks the tree will continue on the decline. Are there any tree experts out there that can confirm the sad prognosis? Any thoughts?
What caused the damage to the trunk? Do you feel it is related to the top die off?
Let's say you remove the truly dead limbs from the canopy. The tree will take years to recover. There's a chance there might be viable buds which will grow next year on the naked branches. If not they should be removed if you do decide to attempt to save the tree.
Without knowing for certain what caused the damage to the trunk and its relation to the top limb die off it's going to be difficult to really assess the cause. You might want to take a sample and photos to your state agricultural office for an opinion.
Losing a large tree is a big disappointment.
It does look as if it's dying from the pics posted. Crown is dead. Of the remaining live branches, the upper ones appear to have fruit/nuts but no foliage... so the die-back has been progressing. I'm not a tree expert but from what I've observed of trees over many years of experience is once they get to this stage of deterioration they don't recover.
Many trees are ' compartmentalized' the damage to roots reflects in the top death. The tree believes it is dying, therefore the nuts are its legacy. Walnuts are very finicky about being disturbed, doesn't take much to upset it.
Thank you very much! Your responses are not only enlightening and informative but appreciated.
Were you able to determine what caused the damage to the trunk? I spoke with a co-worker about your tree. He mentioned age could be a factor. He also said walnuts are rarely bothered by animals or other factors. He said perhaps lightening struck?
Knowing the answers to some of these queries will help you assess the options.
Thank you NebFlowerKid. I'm attaching pic of the tree damage at the base which I hadn't noticed until after this post. The picture is upside down - couldn't get the rotation to stick.
The thoughtful responses were helpful. Thanks for your time.
This message was edited Aug 29, 2017 11:50 PM
