While this is just a guess I assume the tree was planted/grew for several years then someone decided to build a planter around it. My guess is that in doing so that it is now planted too deep causing it not to get enough water.

My son had some work done at his house and in doing so a lot of dirt was moved around and one very very old oak tree had foot or so of dirt put around it to level the ground out. The next year it looked similar to yours and this year it is completely dead. What was once a beautiful 100+ year old tree is nothing but firewood.

You could try removing the blocks and take the dirt down to ground level but it might be too late.

Again, this is only my guess. I'm sure someone else will chime in also.

Yikes, that is planted way too deeply- pull away the soil until you can see the root flare (where roots meet trunk).

And that growth is not a fungus, it is lichen and it is harmless.

Fascinating, but harmless.

Thank you very much David and cearbhaill! So is the consensus to pull away the soil to the flare and give it a season or two to see if it fills out?

John Gorin

Thank you very much David and cearbhaill! So is the consensus to pull away the soil to the flare and give it a season or two to see if it fills out?

In my opinion, yes. If you do replace it later and want to keep the planter I suggest maybe making it a little bigger, fill with soil to the level you want, then plant whatever it is you decide to replace it with.

Something has attacked the lower trunk also. I bet a combination of that and being too deep has hurt the tree.