Is this dead tree dangerous?

[sandspider]

Hi all

 

I have this tree, just across a stream from my garage. Last year it was leafy (as far as I remember) but this year it's got hardly any foliage - so I assume it's dead or nearly so. As it was fairly healthy last year, I hope there's no imminent danger of it falling on my garage? And if it does fail / rot, presumably bits will fall off it before the whole lot goes? It's not huge, so hopefully wouldn't do too much damage even if it did fall... I think it's an elm or possibly alder, but can't remember and there's no decent foliage left to identify it.

 

In theory we've got some tree work that we need doing next year (when we can afford it), it would be good to add this to it (probably monolithed) rather than having to do it sooner, if possible.

 

Thank you.

Edited June 16, 2023 by sandspider
More info

[Dan Maynard]

Bits might fall off but if the roots decay then the whole thing can go over. It makes a lot of difference whether it's elm or alder, elm tends to rot slowly in the soil so they usually stand for a good while. Alder on the other hand is a bit of a gamble.

[sandspider]

Thanks Dan. I think it's elm, but I'm not sure. It's only got about 3 shrivelled leaves high up and I can't id it for sure.

[AHPP]

I don’t think that’s an alder.

[Dan Maynard]

If you saw a branch you'll see the reddish brown colour if it's elm.

[Stubby]

9 hours ago, Dan Maynard said:

If you saw a branch you'll see the reddish brown colour if it's elm.

Or even Alder 🙂

[Mesterh]

Looks like an elm to me, the zigzag pattern of the branches looks like elm. Lime has that pattern too, just to throw another one into the mix.

 

 

[Squaredy]

If it is elm a cluster of them will probably appear around it from the root system if they haven’t already.

[sandspider]

Thanks for the thoughts, all. Twigs are normal brown when broken, not orangey alder brown. And I found a few suckers at the base, pretty sure it's an elm, most likely Wych elm. 

So I reckon it'll last until next year ok.