In this WTOP News article, Lou Meyer from Davey's Mid-Atlantic region explains the phenomenon of zombie trees and how you can identify them.

Posted: October 23, 2024

It’s getting closer to Halloween, but did you know something spooky could be lurking in your own backyard? 

Lou Meyer, an arborist with the Davey Tree Expert Company that works in Maryland and in D.C., said “zombie trees” aren’t the brain-eating kind of zombies you should be on the lookout for, but instead are trees that may be dying on the inside, unbeknownst to you.

“A zombie tree is a tree that looks healthy, looks alive to the untrained eye, but to an arborist, is something scarier,” Meyer said.

Meyer said while so-called “zombie trees” may have green leaves on top, but a closer look at the trunk of the tree may show signs of a decaying tree at risk of falling.

To read more about zombie trees, click here.

The Davey Tree Expert Company provides research-driven tree services, grounds maintenance and environmental and utility infrastructure consulting for residential, utility, commercial and environmental partners in the U.S. and Canada. Established in 1880 and headquartered in Kent, Ohio, Davey has over 12,000 employees and is the ninth largest employee-owned company in the U.S. This year, Davey celebrates 45 years of employee ownership – Join us and apply today! 

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