APOPKA, Fla. -- Nature is finding its own sort of creepy way to add to the Halloween ambiance this season. Here are five things you should know about the "zombie trees" in your own backyard:

1) CLIMATE

Florida's climate has created what arborists call zombie trees.

"(These trees) have deformities," said Adam Jackson, District Manager for the Davey Tree Expert Company. "It's a tree that we know is hazardous. Its life expectancy is lessened."

2) SILHOUETTE

The silhouette of these trees look ominous and creepy, a perfect recipe to enhance your trick-or-treating experience if you stop and smell the -- er -- decay.

3) ZOMBIE QUALITIES

Jackson took us around an Apopka park to point out zombie and zombie-potential trees.

"You see the cavity that has come with this one," he said, pointing to a laurel oak. "It's starting to decay in the middle right here. And this tree will probably never heal from that... I have a knife, and you can see how soft that wood is by poking it in there."

4) ZOMBIE POTENTIAL

A huge live oak at Kit Land Nelson Park has zombie potential, but it's not quite there yet. Jackson says to not let the Spanish moss scare you.

"Some people don't like to see it in the tree and want to remove it all the time, but it isn't a problem," he explained.

5) TRIMMINGS

Trimming your trees is important, but, like anything, don't overdo it.

"Unfortunately, that can create more problems for the tree long term -- make the trees weaker."