Freeze Damage

The deep freeze that hit Texas in 2021 left damage that’s still showing up years later. When temperatures dropped below freezing for days, many trees suffered internal injuries that weren’t obvious at first. The cold caused sap to freeze and expand, splitting tissues inside the trunk and killing parts of the root system underground.

A lot of trees seemed fine that spring, but as time went on, one side of the canopy started thinning, limbs stopped leafing out, and bark began to crack. In many cases, what looks like “random dieback” is actually long-term root death from the freeze. Live oaks, pecans, and other hardwoods were hit especially hard.

The tricky part is that freeze damage can mimic diseases like oak wilt. Without a professional inspection, it’s easy to misdiagnose the problem and lose healthy trees in the process. We can tell whether a tree has a chance to recover or if removal is the safer route. Identifying and managing freeze damage early protects nearby trees and prevents falling hazards later on.