Overview

In this blog post, Art's Tree Service explains how to recognize the signs of tree health decline and identifies the most common pests and diseases affecting trees on Florida’s Suncoast. You’ll learn which tree health services can help diagnose and support your tree’s recovery and when to bring in a certified arborist. We also cover when removal is your safest—and sometimes only—option.

Highlights

Introduction

In Sarasota’s subtropical climate, your trees face stress from all directions. High humidity, hurricanes, invasive pests, poor drainage, and salt exposure can all cause long-term damage and poor tree health.

Since you may be liable for any hazards your landscape features pose, it’s essential to recognize warning signs and take steps to protect your trees and the people, property, and utilities around them.

What Are the First Signs of a Sick or Dying Tree?

Many tree health problems start subtly, long before you see broken limbs or hear the crack of a falling trunk.

Some of the most common early warning signs include:

  • Sparse canopy foliage
  • Misshapen or undersized leaves
  • Yellow or brown foliage
  • Premature leaf drop
  • Leaf spots or curling
  • Delayed spring budding
  • Mushrooms or conks at the base
  • Sticky residue or bark boreholes

These symptoms may result from disease, insects, environmental stress, or human activity. Noticing more than one is a good reason to book a tree health inspection.

How Will You Know Whether Your Tree Is Dying or Is Just in Distress?

Distinguishing between a tree that’s stressed and one that’s dying isn’t always obvious. Trees under stress often respond well to care. You might notice leaf scorch, wilting during dry spells, or overall slow growth. These trees usually bounce back with better watering habits, targeted pruning, or soil improvements.

A dying tree typically has brittle limbs that snap easily, large sections of leafless canopy, or bark falling away from its trunk. Internal rot, widespread pest infestations, or hollowing at the base often signal irreversible decline.

Which Pests and Diseases Affect Sarasota Trees?

Sarasota’s climate makes it a breeding ground for pests and pathogens that love to munch on native and ornamental trees.

Some of the most destructive tree diseases in the area include:

  • Laurel wilt: Causes black-streaked sapwood and rapid wilting
  • Ganoderma butt rot: Causes trunk and root decay in palms and hardwoods
  • Anthracnose: Causes curled and dead leaves in oaks and dogwoods
  • Fusarium wilt: Causes one-sided yellowing and dieback in palms
  • Sooty mold: Causes black surface residue linked to pest activity

Harmful insects are another threat. Bark beetles bore into trunks, introducing fungi that block water transport. Scale insects, aphids, and whiteflies suck sap and produce sugary excretions that invite fungal growth. Meanwhile, caterpillars and webworms can strip foliage quickly during warm, wet months.

These pests and diseases often go under your radar until their effects on your tree’s health become hard to miss. Any restorative measures you implement could be too late to work effectively by then.

How Does Sarasota’s Climate Affect Tree Health?

Sarasota’s unique climate supports a wide variety of beautiful native and ornamental trees, but it presents some unique challenges.

Here’s how our weather can impact your tree’s vitality:

  • Intense heat and sunlight: Scorches foliage during summer droughts due to high temperatures and UV exposure
  • Strong humidex: Promotes fungal diseases and pest activity by creating overly moist conditions
  • Hurricane season: Uproots trees and strips canopies with strong winds, heavy rain, and saturated soil
  • Salt spray: Burns leaves and increases soil salinity in coastal areas near the bay

Maintaining tree health in Sarasota means choosing climate-appropriate species, pruning regularly, and checking for weather-related stress after each storm. Working with a locally experienced tree care company helps ensure your trees thrive despite our region’s seasonal extremes.

Can Storm Damage Cause Long-Term Health Issues for Trees?

Yes. Storm damage isn’t always immediate or obvious. Here, where hurricanes and tropical storms are a regular part of life, your trees can continue suffering long after the winds die down.

Even if your tree is still standing, you should watch for:

  • Split or hanging branches hidden in the canopy
  • Cracks in the trunk from torsion (twisting force) or impact
  • Uprooting or tilting from saturated soil
  • Stripped bark or broken limbs
  • Water pooling around roots, increasing fungal risk

These injuries make your tree more vulnerable to decay, disease, and collapse in future storms. Schedule a post-storm tree assessment to ensure your property is safe and give your tree a chance to recover before things get worse.

What Else Can Damage or Kill Otherwise Healthy Trees?

Not all tree problems are biological. Unfortunately, many are caused by unintentional human actions or external stressors.

Here’s what else might be putting your trees at risk:

  • Improper pruning: Removing too much at once or at the wrong time opens your tree up to infection.
  • Mechanical injury: Cuts from lawnmowers, string trimmers, or vehicle impact damage the trunk and roots.
  • Compact soil: Dense ground near driveways or walkways restricts oxygen and water absorption.
  • Construction damage: Excavation, trenching, or heavy equipment near roots disrupts long-term health.
  • Mulch volcanoes: Piling mulch against the trunk causes rot and attracts pests.
  • Chemical exposure: Fertilizers, herbicides, or saltwater runoff can burn roots and block nutrient uptake.

How Can You Help Your Sick Tree Recover?

Prompt care will make a difference when your tree shows early distress signals. Start with deep, slow watering during dry spells. Avoid compacting soil around your tree’s roots, and keep mulch a few inches away from its trunk to prevent rot.

Light pruning can improve airflow and reduce disease pressure, especially when professionals complete the work using clean, sharp tools. Fertilization can help, too, but only after a soil test.

Sarasota’s sandy soils are usually deficient in nutrients like nitrogen and potassium. An arborist might recommend applying a slow-release formula on the root zone to strengthen your tree without causing weak, fast growth. If structural weakness is present, cabling or bracing may prevent breakage while your tree heals.

The idea is to match the proper intervention with the specific problem. Don’t guess. Have a certified arborist diagnose the issue and build a treatment plan that aligns with your tree’s species and condition.

All you have to do is call and book an inspection.

Why Do Tree Inspections Matter and What Do They Include?

You don’t need to be an arborist to notice yellowing leaves or a leaning trunk, but diagnosing what’s causing them is a different story. Misidentifying the problem can lead to ineffective treatments, slow action, or removing a tree that could have made a decent recovery when given the proper care.

A tree health inspection includes a complete canopy assessment, trunk and root flare inspection, pest and disease check, and soil evaluation. Most trees benefit from inspection at least once a year, ideally in spring or before hurricane season. If your tree is near your home or power lines or has suffered recent damage, scheduling more frequent checks is wise.

Regular assessments help prevent minor problems from becoming safety hazards and liabilities.

When Is Tree Removal Your Only Option?

Unfortunately, not every tree is a great candidate for saving. Removal becomes your best (and safest) option when your tree is more than 50% dead or hollow, threatens people or nearby structures, or shows signs of root failure or trunk rot.

Removing invasive and structurally weak species is also in your best interest, as is getting rid of any trees or branches that interfere with utilities or construction plans.

Some trees also succumb to diseases with no effective treatment (like laurel wilt), which means you’ll need to cut them down and carefully dispose of all their parts to prevent disease spreading.

When removal is unavoidable, always work with a reputable tree removal company. They’ll ensure the process is safe and compliant with Sarasota regulations.

Why Hire an Arborist To Evaluate Your Tree’s Condition?

Tree care isn’t guesswork. If you’re unsure how to proceed, having the opinion of an industry authority on your side can help you steer a sickly tree toward a full recovery.

When you’re searching for an arborist to entrust with your tree’s health, be sure to choose one that’s:

  • Certified to work with local tree species and growing conditions
  • Insured to protect your property
  • Quick to respond when tree health or safety is at risk
  • Transparent about pricing with no surprise fees
  • Trained to follow the best safety practices in all environments
  • Equipped to handle pruning, treatment, or removal as needed

An experienced arborist brings clarity, safety, and solutions that match your specific tree and landscape goals.

Act Now To Stop Sick Trees From Becoming Hazards

A sick tree doesn’t always look sick. By the time symptoms are apparent, the damage may be deep. Whether your goal is saving a favorite shade tree or avoiding damage from a fallen limb, the smartest move you can make is to act as early as possible.

Call Art's Tree Service at (941) 877-1317 today for expert tree assessments, diagnosis, and care plans tailored to Sarasota’s climate. Our arborists will help you understand your options and develop a custom plan and schedule to protect your landscape before trouble strikes.