A leaning tree gets noticed, but the lean itself isn't always the most important detail. What matters more is the root plate, the area of soil around the base where the roots anchor the tree, and whether it's lifting, cracking, or shifting.
Some trees have grown at an angle their entire lives and are perfectly stable. Others develop a sudden lean because the root plate is failing underneath, and that's a very different situation that can turn into an emergency fast, especially after heavy rain softens the soil.
Checking the ground around the base, not just eyeballing the trunk, is part of how we assess whether a leaning tree needs immediate attention or just ongoing monitoring. It's a detail a lot of quick drive-by assessments miss.
Have you got a tree on your property that leans? Have you ever checked the ground around its base for cracking or lifting soil?
#TreeAssessment
A photo showing the base of a tree with visible soil lifting or cracking near the root plate, or an arborist examining the ground around a leaning tree's base.
Canva text suggestion: "The lean isn't the whole story" or "Check the ground, not just the trunk"