How can I tell if a tree is dead or just dormant?

Scratch a small twig with your thumbnail. Green and moist underneath means it's alive; brown, dry and brittle means that limb is dead. Check several branches around the canopy, not just one.

Does a leaning tree need to be removed?

Not necessarily. Many trees grow leaning toward light and are perfectly stable. What matters is whether the lean is new or increasing, and whether the soil at the base shows cracking or heaving.

Are mushrooms on a tree trunk bad?

Yes. Conks and shelf fungus are the fruiting bodies of decay fungi that are already well established inside the wood. By the time you see them on the trunk or root flare, significant internal decay usually exists.

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in the Twin Cities?

It depends on the city and on whether the tree is on private property or in the boulevard. Several metro cities regulate removal of large or heritage trees and most regulate boulevard trees entirely. Check our permit guides by city before scheduling.

Is My Tree Dangerous? Free Tree Risk Assessment Checklist

What actually makes a tree dangerous

Trees don't fail because they're old or ugly. They fail at a defect, under a load. The defect is a crack, a decayed union, a compromised root plate or a hollowed trunk; the load is wind, heavy wet snow, or saturated spring soil that stops holding the roots. Minnesota supplies all three loads within a single year, which is why hazard trees here get found out fast.

The single most urgent sign on this checklist is soil movement at the base. Cracked or mounded soil on one side of the trunk means the root plate is already rotating. That tree can go over on a calm day.

Emerald ash borer changed the math in the Twin Cities

Minnesota has more ash trees than any other state, and EAB has now moved through most of the metro. An infested ash doesn't just die — it becomes brittle in a way that makes it genuinely dangerous to climb and unpredictable to drop, which is why removal prices climb the longer you wait.

If your ash is thinning from the top down, sprouting shoots off the trunk, showing D-shaped exit holes, or getting stripped by woodpeckers, you're on the clock. Healthy ash can still be treated; declining ones are a removal decision.

Whose problem is it if it falls

In general terms, if a healthy tree falls in a storm, each property owner's own insurance typically handles damage to their own structures. Where it changes is when the tree was visibly hazardous and the owner was told about it — documented notice can shift responsibility. That's the practical reason to get a hazard tree evaluated in writing rather than hoping.

This is general information, not legal advice. If a neighbor's tree is threatening your house, put your concern in writing and keep a copy.

Common questions

How can I tell if a tree is dead or just dormant?: Scratch a small twig with your thumbnail. Green and moist underneath means it's alive; brown, dry and brittle means that limb is dead. Check several branches around the canopy, not just one.
Does a leaning tree need to be removed?: Not necessarily. Many trees grow leaning toward light and are perfectly stable. What matters is whether the lean is new or increasing, and whether the soil at the base shows cracking or heaving.
Are mushrooms on a tree trunk bad?: Yes. Conks and shelf fungus are the fruiting bodies of decay fungi that are already well established inside the wood. By the time you see them on the trunk or root flare, significant internal decay usually exists.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in the Twin Cities?: It depends on the city and on whether the tree is on private property or in the boulevard. Several metro cities regulate removal of large or heritage trees and most regulate boulevard trees entirely. Check our permit guides by city before scheduling.