Irma’s legacy: Zombie trees in Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. — They may look alive, but they are dead.

Called “zombie trees,” they are only now starting to make apparent their conditions and a local arborist recommends property owners follow up by trimming or cutting them down.

If not, the next storm could turn these dead trees into a big hazard.

The signs of a damaged tree include black areas where the branches meet, where you might also see some oozing, explains Adam Jackson of Davey Tree.

During a walking tour of Nehrling Gardens in Gotha, he explained that storms with strong winds can "dry out" trees, but hurricane winds can whip branches around in several directions and that causes damage to wood particles inside of the tree, which may not be evident for months.

Zombie trees are unable to support their dying limbs and they need to be trimmed, he recommended, before they break off and cause property damage.

Laurel Oaks are susceptible to this problem because they are less dense of a wood, which makes them prone to decay, he explained.

Trimming zombie trees can delay the inevitable, which is letting it fall naturally.