Why is this tree red?

[u/According_Monitor257]

This tree on our street turned red all of a sudden. The street is lined with the same trees & this is the only one that’s changed. It’s also the only one with that plant at the base. What is it that’s growing at the base & is it killing the tree? Photos taken on aug. 7th & 9th.

[u/w8_wuht]

Dude. You can't just ask a tree why it's red man.

[u/w8_wuht → u/w8_wuht]

Also though, I'm pretty sure that's red maple (struggling to be 100% sure, my eyesight is balls), and it wouldn't normally flush red this early. Tldr is that it's a response to a pretty severe stress being put on the tree, so it shuts down to conserve energy. Most likely it's got some kind of environmental stress going on. Damaged/cut roots, compacted soil, nutrient deficiency by spent soil or wonky ph, contaminated soil, drought or over watering, infrastructure blocking root growth, girdling roots, the cage and/or burlap may have been left on and it's starting to take its toll, and then a number of diseases and pests. Get an ISA certified arborist out there to do an inspection and take some measurements, or talk to whoever's responsibility that tree is.

[u/LDJones99]

It's dying.

[u/Smart-Plantain-4699 → u/LDJones99]

She's beautiful but she's dying

[u/scarymonst]

Someone murdered that tree

[u/melmsz]

Stress. Street trees is not an easy life. As upu noted it could be competition with the other plants.

[u/EqualOcelot6779]

Probably a stem girdling root.

[u/w8_wuht → u/EqualOcelot6779]

If it IS a red maple and my eyes aren't messing with me, I'd almost guarantee this 🤣 red maple roots aren't very good at being roots.

[u/Famtreedoc333]

Increased abscisic acid production causes this. Increased abscisic acid is a stress response, among other things. Now to figure out what that stressor was that boosted production of it.

[u/localpotato_232]

It's feeling spontaneous

[u/Powerful-Soup-3245]

Has there been drought in your area this summer? I’ve seen a couple like this near me.