Tree experts-- need opinions on a problem
 

I found a large branch that had broken off overnight from this tree. I don't know the kind of tree, though.

The branch was not really dead as it had new growth and suckers starting. What I found when cutting the bigger bits is that the inside was waterlogged. You can see in the pics what I found. My concern is that the tree is damaged on the inside and, as you can see, leans towards the house. Is this normal for a rainy climate. We had not had many days over 80 this year and had a lot of rain.

Would the brush pile and grass clippings around the base have caused this? Ok, I didn't take a picture of that but i have have been throwing my grass clippings around those 2 trees for the past couple of years. My kids have been using the pile as a hill for the Barbie Jeep.

Thanks for the help.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1249404828.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1249404898.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1249404946.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1249405001.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1249405052.jpg

I'm not an arborist, but I play one on TV, and I think that tree needs to come down.

And the Crocs gotta go.

The Crocs are NOT mine!!! My son loves the stupid shoes. Ugh.





Thanks for the advice, Thom.

Tree looks pretty rotten on the inside..

Probably water entering from a split at the fork below the branch..this results in a waterlogged core.. which rots and kills the core wood above it was well.

You might want to get it felled...

Looks like a Silver Maple to me, the weed of the tree world. Damn hardy things though. You might just leave it be for a while and then have an arborist look at it next year. Agree that the crook collected water... but now that it's down, might resist any more issues.