Can this Maple be saved?

[twstm]

Or is it Firewood material? Not sure what kind of Maple it is? The tree was already in this condition when we bought the house....it's not looking too healthy. Should I cut it down before it falls down?

 

[Doctor Dave]

Or is it Firewood material? Not sure what kind of Maple it is? The tree was already in this condition when we bought the house....it's not looking too healthy. Should I cut it down before it falls down?

You can probably keep it for now. Monitor for decay and have the crown lightened up. It's a red maple (Acer rubrum), not especially decay resistant, but iit is beginning to seal over with callus growth.

 

[treeseer]

Dave is right. The callus is turning into woundwood, which has been measured in red maple to be 40% stronger than regular wood. Focus on the donut, not the hole.

Take a pic of the whole crown and the guys here may put red lines where the cuts in the top could be.

 

[twstm]

Crown pic

Dave is right. The callus is turning into woundwood, which has been measured in red maple to be 40% stronger than regular wood. Focus on the donut, not the hole.

Take a pic of the whole crown and the guys here may put red lines where the cuts in the top could be.

I'll try and get a picture of the whole crown today.....

 

[treeseer]

NO targets are visible from the picture angle. The forks are not that sound--tight angles, included bark. If there are things that can be hurt if those forks fail, that affects the decisions re pruning or possibly cabling the outside leads together.

 

[JUDGE1162]

What is cabling?