palo verde (Parkinsonia floridum)

Ripped out from the roots, this tree never had a chance against the crazy storm we just had a couple nights ago. With surging winds reaching 80-100 mph, downtown phoenix was slammed hard. This is one of hundreds of trees awaiting the chainsaw symphony to chop it up into its next life.

Chinese elm (ulmus parvafolia)

This tree snapped at the trunk, likely due to drought stress. Elms are very thirsty trees with a robust root structure and seek water wherever available. Positioned right next to a building on a slope, water is subject to runoff. In addition, the tree must compete with the lawn for water. They tree appears to have establish a stable root zone, not being uprooted. However, adequate water is necessary to keep trees strong and healthy. Lacking water, trees can become very brittle, yet may not appear so at a glance.