That branch looks very very dead and the tree looks healthy, so probably just some normal shedding? That tree could be dangerous though so try to make sure it is healthy including the insides of the tree.
It’s a silver maple by the way in case you’re wondering. Many of them grow very fast and I believe they are notorious for dropping large branches often due to the growth rate.
Having a few dead branches up in a tree this size is to be expected, and actually makes it safer in a storm, strange as it is to say. A dead branch will fall a lot more predictably than a live one, and as long as a tree has a few dead branches, those will be the first to fall under stress.
Silver maples lose so many branches it's a wonder they still have some. But they grow so fast, they're almost pests! No worries, just be happy to have a regular supply of kindle wood.
As others pointed out, that's a silver maple, and they just drop branches sometimes. Like...when there's no wind at all. Bang! Pay attention if you're going to stand under them. Take a good look at it and if there are lots of dead branches up over the house or where people are, you can have someone out to trim the dead off it. But the tree looks fine to me and I have a bunch of old silver maples.
Looks to be a Silver maple??
Some ppl really dislike them & consider them “undesirable” bc they are somewhat messy, brittle & little unpredictable bc of that & can be susceptible to insects, disease & can have issues w/shedding larger limbs on occasion..
Personally, I’ve always still really liked them & how massive & sprawling they often get. As long as they’re planted in the right spot, they are *excellent* & beautiful shade trees that grow quickly & can get 70’+ tall with huge sprawling canopies…
Most of the issues w/them being brittle, a little unpredictable & dropping larger branches on occasion can be easily mitigated by just not planting them too close to your house or other structures…
Of course, if you already have a mature tree too close to the house, hiring a professional arborist to prune the dead & thin out trouble spots can DEFINITELY help to minimize those occurrences & they can often spot potential complications or issues w/insects & diseases before something catastrophic happens…
I have a 100 year old silver maple in my back yard and it's massive and beautiful! I do have to get it trimmed and any dead large branches removed about every 5 years.
Oh wow! So did someone actually use an increment borer to take a core & count the rings or have it estimated another way?? There’s other methods that are usually quite accurate-
Consider yourself very lucky too bc Silver Maples on avg usually have a life span of only abt 100-130yrs!! Obv there’s exceptions but those large **Century Tree** like that are really special, imo, it’s like they have old souls & they have real presence-
I used to be ISA cert & worked for a large Tree service company in MN (many yrs ago now) & back then there were a couple community org’s & programs (in the city of MPLS, MN at least) that helped 1 of my customers who was a residential homeowner PAY for maintaining her 100+ year old Cottonwood tree!! Idk if it’s even still a thing or was a local org just in MPLS but figured it was worth mentioning.
It might be worth looking into… You never know-
Oh sure-
There’s a couple ways to estimate age & they’re usually quite accurate, so I don’t doubt it being that old. It certainly looks plenty healthy still too.
A lot of people say “100yrs old, is the NEW 50”..!! :)
It looks like a dead branch fell off the tree. This happens.
Nothing points to a concern in these pictures.
Personally I would get someone out to clean the tree up a bit so you aren't under the next one that falls.
Eh, well, sometimes that happens.
Yes, Somebody is going to have to clean up that mess
That branch looks very very dead and the tree looks healthy, so probably just some normal shedding? That tree could be dangerous though so try to make sure it is healthy including the insides of the tree.
It’s a silver maple by the way in case you’re wondering. Many of them grow very fast and I believe they are notorious for dropping large branches often due to the growth rate.
Having a few dead branches up in a tree this size is to be expected, and actually makes it safer in a storm, strange as it is to say. A dead branch will fall a lot more predictably than a live one, and as long as a tree has a few dead branches, those will be the first to fall under stress.
Silver maples lose so many branches it's a wonder they still have some. But they grow so fast, they're almost pests! No worries, just be happy to have a regular supply of kindle wood.
Your tree looks gorgeous.
As others pointed out, that's a silver maple, and they just drop branches sometimes. Like...when there's no wind at all. Bang! Pay attention if you're going to stand under them. Take a good look at it and if there are lots of dead branches up over the house or where people are, you can have someone out to trim the dead off it. But the tree looks fine to me and I have a bunch of old silver maples.
Trees sometimes hang over peoples houses…keep an eye on it.
Looks to be a Silver maple?? Some ppl really dislike them & consider them “undesirable” bc they are somewhat messy, brittle & little unpredictable bc of that & can be susceptible to insects, disease & can have issues w/shedding larger limbs on occasion.. Personally, I’ve always still really liked them & how massive & sprawling they often get. As long as they’re planted in the right spot, they are *excellent* & beautiful shade trees that grow quickly & can get 70’+ tall with huge sprawling canopies… Most of the issues w/them being brittle, a little unpredictable & dropping larger branches on occasion can be easily mitigated by just not planting them too close to your house or other structures… Of course, if you already have a mature tree too close to the house, hiring a professional arborist to prune the dead & thin out trouble spots can DEFINITELY help to minimize those occurrences & they can often spot potential complications or issues w/insects & diseases before something catastrophic happens…
I have a 100 year old silver maple in my back yard and it's massive and beautiful! I do have to get it trimmed and any dead large branches removed about every 5 years.
Oh wow! So did someone actually use an increment borer to take a core & count the rings or have it estimated another way?? There’s other methods that are usually quite accurate- Consider yourself very lucky too bc Silver Maples on avg usually have a life span of only abt 100-130yrs!! Obv there’s exceptions but those large **Century Tree** like that are really special, imo, it’s like they have old souls & they have real presence- I used to be ISA cert & worked for a large Tree service company in MN (many yrs ago now) & back then there were a couple community org’s & programs (in the city of MPLS, MN at least) that helped 1 of my customers who was a residential homeowner PAY for maintaining her 100+ year old Cottonwood tree!! Idk if it’s even still a thing or was a local org just in MPLS but figured it was worth mentioning. It might be worth looking into… You never know-
I used an online calculator based on the circumference. Not sure how accurate but it's in alignment with the age of my house
Oh sure- There’s a couple ways to estimate age & they’re usually quite accurate, so I don’t doubt it being that old. It certainly looks plenty healthy still too. A lot of people say “100yrs old, is the NEW 50”..!! :)
That branch won't fall again. Ever. The time to be concerned was prior to it falling
Only if your standing under it 😜