Old line tree - rotten middle but healthy and edges

[SDWR]

Hi I have a very old line tree in my courtyard. The middle is rotten but it appears that the ‘outer edge’ is fine. In fact it looks like young trees have grown around the edge of the rotten core. It is pollarded hard every other year and the branch/ leaf cover is good. Is it safe?

[dumper]

To answer your question will need a site visit by a qualified person, even then it will be somewhat a personal opinion based on what can be seen, environment,targets and experience 

I would ask you to specify safe, do you mean is it going to fall down tommorow or at sometime in the future?, or do you think  it has a disease that other trees might suffer?

 

[SDWR]

Hi - thanks got the reply. I am more concerned about falling down , branches falling off.

it seems perfectly healthy around the rotten core - to the point where there are re-grown ‘trees’ that form an outer ring, if that makes sense? The branches and leaf cover each year are healthy and ‘normal- looking’.

I wondered if this was simply the way older lime trees regenerate? 

[dumper]

Perhaps stand back and take some more pictures to give idea of height and surrounding The pictures give no real idea of size 

[doobin]

That'll most likely be fine, and it's not like it'll hit anything if it falls over. If you like the look of it, leave it. If not then remove. Simples.

[Dan Maynard]

Put some steps up and give the bits a wobble. You might find they are secure or they might break off, I think it's inevitable that they will eventually go. Looked at some a couple of weeks ago and could push my hand through the 'healthy' looking part.