How to Identify Dead Trees on Your Property

Posted on December 11, 2020 by Completetree

Especially during the wintertime, it can be tough determining if a tree is dead, alive, or simply dormant for the season. This time of year, however, trees have not reached their dormancy yet, so it can be a little easier spotting a tree in trouble. Continue reading to learn how to tell the difference between a dead tree and a healthy tree, and what to do if your tree is indeed, dead.

Indianapolis Tree Removal and Tree Care 317-783-2518

Small Dead Trees

For trees that are small or short, you are likely able to reach their twigs and branches. This makes it easy to test the tree and determine whether or not it is dead or alive. Simply snap off a twig and take a look at its fleshy center for signs of life. Healthy flesh will look light and green, whereas dead or dying/will look dull and gray. Also, a dead or dying tree branch will snap off dry and quick, whereas a healthy twig might give you a bit of a struggle. Small trees are easy to manage, but when trees are very large or tall it can be difficult testing branches on your own if you can’t reach them. For this reason, you need professional Indianapolis tree service.

Large Trees That are Dead or Dying

Professional tree service companies retain the proper training, experience, and specialized equipment to care for large trees safely and efficiently. They will be able to implement the proper procedures to test the tree for life, as well as suggest and implement strategies for either saving or removing the tree. Of course, they also retain the proper resources to provide safe tree removal and tree care services. If the trees that are dying, it usually needs to be removed right away to prevent accidents.

Before you contact a professional tree service company, you can look for signs of a dead or dying tree. Having this information and relaying it to your professional tree technician will help them better understand your tree care needs.

Signs of a Dead Tree:

► Loss of Foliage
► Leaf Discoloration
► Leaf Curling
► Leaf Wilting
► Pest Infestations
► Tree Trunk Rot
► Waterlogged Roots
► Exposed Roots
► Bark Discoloration
► Fungus Growth
► Dropping Branches

Dead Tree Removal Service in Indianapolis and Surrounding Counties

Call Complete Tree Care at 317-783-2518 to get professional tree removal for dead trees in Indianapolis, Indiana. We have served Hoosier communities since 1978 as a licensed and insured tree service company here in Indianapolis, and continue to provide top quality tree services for both residential and commercial properties throughout its surrounding areas. if you have a tree emergency after regular business hours, we offer two separate after-hours phone lines! Contact us to request an estimate, anytime.

The Difference Between a Sycamore Tree and a Sweetgum Tree

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Completetree

Taking good care of your landscaping trees is a top priority for any proud homeowner. When it comes to tree care, the key is routine. It is important to stay current on all of your tree care services per season, including tree trimming, pruning, fertilizing, and even transplanting when needed. For commercial properties, if you need lot clearing and underbrush clearing services, it’s important to get those done before the winter season comes, and the ground is frozen and more difficult to work with.

Regardless of your tree care needs, a good place to start is to learn which type of trees you have on your property. From there, you can research the specific and unique methods of caring for that particular tree species in accordance with industry best practices. Two particular tree species that tend to cause many Hoosiers confusion here in Indiana are American Sycamore trees and Sweetgum trees. Because they have similar fruits and branching systems, they are often mistaken for one another.

American Sycamore trees and Sweetgum trees are two very popular and prevalent tree species here in Indiana. For this reason, it is very likely that your property has at least one of the two. Continue reading to learn the differences between a Sycamore tree and Sweetgum tree, and be on your way to better tree care practices.

The American Sycamore Tree (Platanus occidentalis)

The American Sycamore tree is a common species in the Midwest. In fact, it is one of the tallest growing trees in our region, achieving heights as high as 75 feet. It goes by other monikers, including the American planetree, button ball tree, and buttonwood. One of the most distinguishing features of the American Sycamore tree is the culprit behind the confusion between them and sweetgum trees. You see, American Sycamore trees bear round, button-like fruit that looks similar to a Christmas tree ornament. Each ball is a cluster of seeds, appearing rough on the surface, which begin to bloom in late summer, when temperatures are high and steady. They are unique in that the fruit remains attached to the tree through the winter season, rather than dropping in the fall like similar deciduous trees. When spring arrives, the cluster of seeds will break apart and fall to the ground. Check out the picture below and notice the round shape of the Sycamore tree fruit.

Sycamore Tree Removal Indianapolis IN — A Seedball on an American Sycamore tree – Platanus Occidentalis

The Sweetgum Tree (Liquidambar styraciflua)

Sweetgum trees can be found all over the United States, in the South, Midwest, and Eastern parts of the country. Their star-shaped leaves are one of their most distinguishing features, which turn vibrant shades of red and orange in the fall. However, another prominent and distinguishing feature of the Sweetgum tree happens to be their fruit. Similar to the American Sycamore, Sweetgum trees bear a round-shaped fruit. But the difference is, the Sweetgum fruit is round with a spiny, spiky surface, appearing to have thorns or spikes protruding from all around them. They are not rough and round like the American Sycamore tree. Instead, they are round and spiky. Take a look at the picture below to see how the spiky appearance of the Sweetgum tree fruit compares to the American Sycamore.

Sweetgum Tree Removal Indianapolis IN — Ripe Seeds on a Sweetgum Tree – Liquidambar styraciflua

Professional Indianapolis Tree Removal for Sycamore and Sweetgum Trees

Call Complete Tree Care at 317-783-2518 for experienced tree removal service in Indianapolis and throughout Central Indiana. We offer a wide range of residential and commercial tree services for all tree species, including Sycamore and Sweetgum tree. Our tree care technicians also provide tree trimming, stump grinding, stump removal, lot clearing, and more. If you want professional and efficient tree service you can trust, Complete Tree Care is the right call!

Oldest Known Fossilized Trees Discovered in New York City

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Completetree

What was once thought to be the oldest known fossilized trees in the world are now second in line! A new discovery recently made in a New York quarry certainly sets a new global record. Continue reading to learn more about this astonishing and portending discovery, including just how old these fascinating ancient fossils are!

New York Was Once a Large Ancient Forest

Scientists think they’ve stumbled upon an ancient forest so immense that at one point during the Devonian era, it expanded far past Pennsylvania, and well into the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Over 3,000 square meters of the forest have been mapped since 2010, and scientists have determined that two types of ancient tree species were native to these regions: Cladoxylopsids and Archaeopteris.

A few months ago, in an abandoned New York quarry, remnants of ancient trees were discovered. What’s so mind-blowing about this discovery is that these fossilized trees date back more than 386 million years! According to Paleobotanist Chris Berry of Cardiff University, “This is the oldest place where you can wander around and map out where fossil trees were standing back in the middle part of the Devonian era.” “It’s a very ancient forest from the beginnings of the time where the planet was turning green and forests were becoming a normal part of the Earth’s system.”

So why is this discovery so monumental and significant? Well, these ancient tree fossils can help scientists better understand the evolution of trees, including more information on their process of removing carbon dioxide from our planet’s atmosphere. Read the original article from Fox News and view pictures of the fossils, here. To learn more, visit the journal Current Biology to view the entire publication in detail.

Need Tree Service in Indianapolis?

Call Complete Tree Care at 317-783-2518 for Indianapolis tree service at an affordable price. We are highly trained and experienced tree care technicians that offer commercial and residential tree services at affordable prices. Request an estimate or advice anytime. Call 317-783-2518 to learn more about tree care in Indianapolis, today.

What are the Layers of a Tree Trunk?

Posted on July 12, 2019 by Completetree

One of the most interesting facts about tree trunks is that they have 5 different layers! Continue reading to learn more about these 5 tree trunk layer, including what they do!

? Tree Trunks

As mentioned, tree trunks have 5 separate layers to them. They are the outer bark, inner bark (phloem), the cambium cell layer, sapwood, and heartwood. Each layer has their very own purpose, but overall, the trunk’s primary job is to protect and support the tree. Look below to review each layer and what they do.

❶ Outer Bark

Like a shield, a trunk’s outer bark is there to protect the tree from its outside surroundings, including inclement weather, wildlife, pests, and more. It also controls moisture, by both preventing excess moisture in the rain and snow, and retaining sufficient moisture levels during dry seasons. It also provides insulation in cold weather and protects against sunburn in the summer.

❷ Phloem (Inner Bark)

The phloem, or inner layer of bark, is where food and nutrients are passed through the tree. This layer has a very important job, but a very short lifespan. It eventually dies, turns to cork, and becomes part of the outer layer of bark!

❸ Cambium Cell Layer

The cambium cell layer is interesting because it is the part of the trunk that grows. Each year, this layer produces more bark and wood as a reaction to the hormones being passed down from the leaves along the food pipeline. These hormones are called auxins, and they are very important because they stimulate new cell growth!

❹ Sapwood

Sapwood is new wood, and serves an important role as the tree’s water pipeline, delivering water to the entire tree. And as new sapwood is created, the inner cells lose their vigor and turn to heartwood.

❺ Heartwood

Heartwood is the most inner part of the trunk. It plays an important role in balance, stability, and security for a tree. Technically, heartwood is dead, but it does not atrophy or decay (unless the outer layers are jeopardized). It is made up of a hollow, needle-like cellulose fibers that are joined together by a glue-like chemical called lignin.

Additional Parts of a Tree Trunk:

The pith is made of soft, spongy parenchyma cells, which serve the purpose of storing and transporting nutrients throughout the tree. The medullary rays are cellular structures found in only some tree species., and appear perpendicular to the growth rings. The growth rings, also known as Dendrochronology, appear one at a time, once per year, darker in the fall and lighter in the spring and summer.

Get Professional Tree Care in Indianapolis

Call Complete Tree Care at 317-783-2518 for professional Indianapolis tree service you can trust. We serve all of Central Indiana with a wide range of skilled tree removal and tree care services, for both residential and commercial properties. Whether you need a single tree removed, or simply require routine tree service, like trimming or pruning, we can deliver prompt and professional service at a fair price. Request a free estimate, today.