In this Our Windsor article, Dan Sharp from Davey's Canadian operations tells us how to spot zombie trees, or dying trees that appear alive, before they can cause damage during winter. 

Posted: November 12, 2025

Trees lining a road on both sides with sprawling branches.Ontario’s lawns and forests may have a hidden danger lurking: “zombie trees.”

At first glance, zombie trees may look very much alive — but inside, they’re slowly dying and can pose a safety risk.

Dan Sharp, a board-certified master arborist for Davey Tree in Ontario, explains that while you’re doing pre-winter lawn maintenance, you should also do a scan of the trees on your property.

What Is a Zombie Tree?

Like the zombies you see in the movies, zombie trees might have the appearance of life. But, in reality, they’re either dead or are in the process of dying.

As they’re dying, trees lose strength and are at greater risk of having limbs break off or having the entire tree fall over all at once.

“Zombie trees are ticking time bombs, waiting for the right gust of wind, heavy rain or snowstorm to bring them down,” according to a post on Davey Tree’s website.

To continue reading this article, click here. 

The Davey Tree Expert Company, headquartered in Kent, Ohio, 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. As one of the top ten largest employee-owned companies in the U.S., Davey's 12,000 employees have been dedicated to creating and delivering sustainable solutions since 1880. Apply today to join the Davey legacy, and learn about how we're growing with our new SEED Campus

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