Is your tree on death’s door? Here’s how to tell

Healthy trees grow lots of branches and leaves – their canopy – as thickly as they can, to gather all the sunlight they need. — Dreamstime/TNS

Worried about a sad-looking tree in your yard?

Climate change, invasive species and even international trade are taking a serious toll on California trees. An estimated 150 million trees died during the drought that started in December 2011, according to Smithsonian magazine, and the stressed trees that survived became more vulnerable to attack by a host of newcomer pests, said Philippe Rolshausen, subtropical tree specialist for the Cooperative Extension office at UC Riverside.