Orchard tree looks dead

Question

I have an orchid tree about 7 years old and25 feet.. It lost its leaves in January and looks dead the thin branches are brittle and dead. Someone told me to scrape a small piece of the bark to see if it’s green under it. I did this in about4 places and it’s pink is5his tree dead if so why would such a mature tree just dye. Thanks

Answer 1

Yes, you can scratch the bark of the tree and it should be green under the bark.
If the branches snap and break off, they have died.

There can be many reasons for the loss of an established tree. Environmental stresses, pests and diseases are often the case.
Have you had drought, excess rainfall, extreme highs and lows in temperatures? Did the trees leaves or bark show signs of disease or pests?
Was there changes in the fruit or the amount of fruit on the tree?
Sudden die off can often times be unexplained.
You could contact your County Extension Office and check if others have reported tree loss in your area.

Here are some links with more information and a link to help you locate your nearest extension office.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/extension-search/

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/tree-scratch-test.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/what-does-a-dying-tree-look-like-signs-that-a-tree-is-dying.htm