Question
I have a beautiful tree in my yard about 15 yr old. it started to bud then all of a sudden it has nothing. It did frost, but the tree seems dead. it is growing the green moss on it. the bottom of the tree has a grove in it. it isnt budding anymore. can you help me?

Answer
Hi Alicia:

It is difficult to tell much w/o seeing the tree "in person".  A frost event can damage the buds, however as the temperatures warm up, you should see some signs of recovery usually after 2-4 wks.  The green moss is probably lichens.  These are not disease organisms, in fact, they are common on many trees.  They can be even be found on rocks and wood fence posts.  The "groove" at the bottom maybe part of the problem.  It may represent the result of an old wound and subsequent decay internally.  Internal decay is often a slow, yet progressive condition for which there is no magic bullet unfortunately. As the decay advances, we may see insects like ants that move into this "wounded" area.  They are the result, not cause of the decay.

You did not mention how the tree looked last year.  You are welcome to send me a photo of this "groove" and I can give you an idea of the status. Try also scratching a few small twigs near their ends with your fingernail or knife. Look for green color beneath the bark.  Do this in several places on several smaller twigs.  Also, how do the leaves look? Wilted? Dropping?

Regards
Steve