how is it alive?

[treebing]

Bark stripped up all the way around the tree. no cambium to speak of. the canopy full and fully leafed out. ???? It appears to be trying to heal itself as well. It seems to have been like this for several years. Just walked by it on the street. Any thoughts?

 

[tomthetreeman]

It is living on reserves stored in the crown. It is also possible that there is a very thin layer of cambium still there, I have seen that on some winter damaged trees.

-Tom

 

[Jeremy9]

There's an ash tree near are ofice that is like that. I thougth the same thing, that the tree was living on reserves, but that was 6 years ago and the tree still looks great.

 

[rfwoodvt]

I've seen this in Populus deltoides.

Basically I suspect that fluids and necessary elements are flowing up to the live parts through wicking of the dead trunk. The live portions can use that and keep some tissue alive.

it probably can go a long time that way but once the roots rot over it goes.