Emerald Ash Borer in Central Ohio: Signs, Treatments, and How to Save Your Tree

If you have an ash tree in Central Ohio whether you’re in Columbus, New Albany, or the surrounding suburbs the emerald ash borer (EAB) is probably the single biggest threat it faces. This invasive beetle has killed the vast majority of untreated ash trees across Ohio over the past two decades, and it doesn’t slow down once it finds a host tree. The good news is that EAB is highly treatable if you catch it early, and knowing what to look for is the first step.

What is the Emerald Ash Borer?

The emerald ash borer is a small, metallic green beetle whose larvae tunnel under the bark of ash trees, cutting off the tree’s ability to move water and nutrients. By the time damage is visible from the ground, the infestation is often already well established. Nearly every ash tree in Ohio that isn’t treated will eventually be affected.

Signs Your Ash Tree May Have EAB

Any one of these signs on its own isn’t a guaranteed diagnosis. However, a combination of two or more-especially a thinning canopy paired with exit holes-is a strong signal that it’s time for a professional tree assessment.

Why Early Identification Matters

Ash trees can decline surprisingly fast once EAB takes hold, sometimes within two to three years from the first symptoms to complete tree death. A tree caught early, while the canopy is still mostly intact, has a much better chance of responding well to treatment. A tree that has already lost more than half of its canopy is a much harder case, and in some situations, professional tree removal becomes the safer and more practical option.

What to Do If You Suspect EAB

The tunneling and canopy loss caused by EAB also severely weaken a tree’s structural integrity. This becomes a real safety concern for any tree growing near a house, driveway, or anywhere people walk and park. If you’re seeing any of the signs above, the right move is to have an ISA Certified Arborist take a look before deciding between saving the tree or safely removing it.

Can My Ash Tree Be Saved?

The short answer is yes-most trees are savable if they have more than 50% of their crown intact.

Here in Central Ohio, EAB populations tend to ebb and flow as new forested ash saplings grow, become infected, and then die. Because we are no longer in the initial, devastating wave of the borer, the pest pressure is typically not high enough to instantly decimate an isolated ash tree. Emamectin benzoate is the best EAB treatment option available and has a 20-year track record of successfully controlling the borer.

What to Expect After Tree Treatment

There are a few very important things to keep in mind once you begin an EAB treatment program. First, the treatment is designed to kill the borer upon ingestion; it does not put a barrier over your tree that repels the insect from landing. Because of this, borers can still cause minor damage before the treatment stops them, meaning you might occasionally see new, small dead branches pop up even on a tree that has been treated for years.

You may also continue to see larger dead branches form after treatment has started. There are two reasons for this:

  1. Lagging Damage: The borer’s internal damage hasn’t completely revealed itself yet. It typically takes two to three years after treatment begins to stop losing larger limbs, though this is solely dependent on the condition of the tree prior to treatment.

  2. Unrelated Stress: Ash trees can decline for other reasons. While the biggest issue with ash trees is the borer, your tree can still experience drought stress, root problems, and the typical aging associated with any mature tree.

At Arborist Solutions, we offer expert emerald ash borer treatment and diagnosis throughout the Columbus area. Every recommendation starts with an honest assessment of whether a tree is a good candidate for treatment or if removal is the safer route. If you’re noticing thinning, exit holes, or unusual woodpecker activity on an ash tree, reach out for a consultation, and we’ll help you figure out the right next step.

One of the most common questions we get from Central Ohio homeowners is simple: how often should a tree actually be pruned?

The honest answer is that it depends on the tree, not the calendar. At Arborist Solutions, our primary goal is preservation—giving every tree the best chance to safely thrive for a century or longer. To achieve that, we follow the science. According to the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), pruning should always be driven by specific structural or safety objectives, not a generic timeline.

While age, species, and site conditions dictate the exact schedule, most trees fall into a few general categories that serve as a solid baseline before you call an arborist.

Young Trees: Every 2–3 Years

Newly planted and young trees benefit immensely from regular structural pruning. Extensive research from the University of Florida’s Environmental Horticulture program–a leading authority on urban tree canopy—demonstrates that early structural pruning to establish a strong central leader and well-spaced scaffold branches is the single best way to prevent catastrophic failures decades later. Skipping this stage guarantees weak branch unions and lopsided canopies as the tree matures.

Mature Trees Near Structures: Every 2–5 Years

Once a tree reaches maturity and shares space with a house, driveway, or power line, the pruning objective shifts to risk management and clearance. Based on ISA Best Management Practices, a 2-to-5-year pruning cycle is typical here. The focus is strictly on removing deadwood, resolving structural conflicts (like rubbing branches), and keeping the canopy safe for the targets underneath it.

Large, Isolated Trees: Every 5–10 Years

A massive oak or maple standing alone in an open yard doesn’t require frequent cutting. In fact, university extension data notes that mature trees have less stored energy available to recover from pruning. For these giants, a periodic health and structural assessment every 5 to 10 years is usually sufficient, with pruning performed only to mitigate a specific, identified risk.

The Truth About Pruning and Tree Health

It is a common misconception that pruning directly promotes biological health. In reality, every pruning cut is a wound.

As detailed by the foundational arboriculture concept of CODIT (Compartmentalization of Decay in Trees), a tree must expend valuable stored energy to chemically seal off the wood behind a pruning cut to prevent decay. Therefore, cutting live limbs does not biologically “heal” or invigorate a tree.

Instead, we prune to promote structural longevity. Proper structural pruning, clearance, and deadwood removal preserve the tree by lowering the risk of it failing and damaging property or people. It may look better afterward, but the true value is in long-term structural stability, not a biological boost.

When to Prune Outside the Schedule

Regardless of where a tree falls in the categories above, certain acute situations require an out-of-cycle assessment:

The Bottom Line: Species, age, and site conditions dictate a tree’s needs, not a rule of thumb. An ISA Certified Arborist can evaluate the unique mechanics of your trees and prescribe exactly what they need based on objective data.

If it’s been a few years since your trees were last assessed, or you’re not sure which category yours fall into, request a consultation and we’ll put together a plan based on what’s actually growing on your property.

Don’t need Tree Care in Central Ohio?  Click this link to find an Arborist Near You!

What Are Bradford Pear Tree Problems?

Spring is in the air, and if you live anywhere in the eastern United States, you know that means the particularly unpleasant smell of the Callery Pear — commonly called the Bradford — is also near. This non-native invasive ornamental tree has made its way into almost every available patch of sun and soil in the region, from abandoned farmland to backyards and local parks. Its distinct white flowers are immediately recognizable along highways and forest edges, making it one of the Midwest’s most distinct signs of spring.

The Bradford has cultivated a particularly infamous reputation for itself over the last half-century. Once one of the most prolifically planted trees in the US for its rapid growth, robust flowering, and attractive foliage, it is now widely recognized by arborists as being dangerous, harmful to local ecologies, and generally not suitable as a street tree or ornamental addition to your home’s front yard.

Structural Failure: The Bradford Pear’s Biggest Problem

Soon after the Bradford’s commercial release in 1961, it became apparent that the tree had some fundamental issues. By 1980, older Bradfords were routinely failing in storms and heavy snowfall, posing a risk to homes and pedestrians. As horticulturist Michael Dirr wrote in 1998, Bradford pear “tends to develop rather tight crotches” and the plant “will fall apart because of the development of many branches around a common length of the trunk.”

Cities and residential developments continued planting the Bradford and other Callery pear cultivars well into the 21st century. In New York City, Bradfords were the third most common tree of 132 species planted along city streets — more than 58,000 out of 650,000 as of 2015. But cities have stopped planting them, much like many states across the country.

Why Ohio Banned the Bradford Pear

Ohio has officially banned the selling, growing, and planting of the Bradford and other Callery cultivars. As ODNR Division of Forestry Chief Dan Blaser explains, Callery pear “often dominates young, regenerating forest areas and inhibits the growth and establishment of native plant species. Halting the further sale and intentional propagation of Callery pear will help reduce the further introduction of this environmentally harmful tree species.”

The Bradford is an incredibly virulent and competitive species, often forming dense thickets that push out native species who cannot tolerate the deep shade or compete for water, soil, and space. Their seeds are easily dispersed by birds and small animals, and the tree has also been known to self-pollinate. Once a mature Bradford is removed, the base of the trunk and roots will often send out shoots, making it particularly difficult to completely eradicate.

What to Plant Instead of a Bradford Pear

What can homeowners do to help prevent the spread of this invasive tree? Ensuring any tree or shrub you plant is a native species will greatly benefit your local environment. If your home already hosts a mature Bradford — as many suburban developments do — it may be wise to have a certified arborist inspect the tree for potential hazards and eventually remove it before it disperses more seeds.

At Arborist Solutions, we offer full removal, stump grinding, and planting services. We can take care of felling your Bradford and replacing it with a native alternative — the eastern redbud, the serviceberry, or the flowering dogwood are all strong performers in Central Ohio. Any of these species will provide the same beautiful spring flowering as the Bradford while contributing to a healthy ecology where native pollinators, plants, and animals can thrive.

The story of the Bradford pear is a lesson in the importance of responsible land stewardship when it comes to the trees and shrubs we plant in our cities and neighborhoods. Learn about our tree planting services or request a consultation if you have a Bradford that needs to come down.

Richard Deubler — ISA Certified Arborist OH-7057A, Arborist Solutions