Q.How Do I Know if My Tree Is Going Bare for Winter as Usual, or Dead?
I have a flowering tree in my front yard (in Las Vegas area). It came with the house and is well-established. Every spring it produces purplish flowers and every winter it loses most (if not all) the leaves. . . but last week the Home Owner’s Assoc. (HOA) sent a notice that our tree is “dead and please remove and replace it. ” I am pretty sure they just don’t like us. . . and the tree will grow new leaves and flower in the spring as usual, but how do I know? Are there signs that can help me determine if they are right or if they are looking for a new way to hassle us? Also, I’ve looked at some internet sites trying to identify our tree and it looks a little like a cross between a Jacranda mimosifolia and a Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia). . . but not a perfect match for either. . . help? I have a photo from last Christmas (no flowers left but it has more leaves last year than right now – but I can’t seem to paste a copy of it here. . . .

Certified GKH Gardening Expert
This article should help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/how-to-tell-if-a-plant-is-dead-and-how-to-recover-an-almost-dead-plant.htm
You may send the pic to: questions@gardeningknowhow.com