Need help diagnosing a tree problem.

[wsg]

I have what I think is a maple tree of some kind with a bark issue.

Any ideas? After about 6-7 ft up the central stalk is loosing bark and seems to be dead. There is on limb leading off from the center that's starting to crack bark also. The other limbs surrounding them look ok for now but I'm worried. Any help is appreciated.

 

[nate cutter]

Looks like a boring bug all those 1/4" holes tell me so. When the trees see 4-5 years of drought the tree can be attacked and may not recover. Beware the 'fire wood' is probably full of the critters.

 

[GeeVee]

Good news and Bad news.

Iron Deficiency- Can't do too much for it. Thast the bad news.

Good news is you can wait, and sooner or later, you'll be giving it some Stihl Therapy.

It okay to go out and hug it a few times, your driveway is nice....

 

[c5rulz]

Looks like a boring bug all those 1/4" holes tell me so. When the trees see 4-5 years of drought the tree can be attacked and may not recover. Beware the 'fire wood' is probably full of the critters.

I disagree.

Holes that are perpendicular in the trunk are evidence of bird damage, i.e. sapsuckers.

The tree also has very poor structure due to the fact that the branch angles are very narrow and weak.

Here is a gall I took a picture of today on a cherry. I believe this was caused by a fungal infection called black knot of cherry.

 

[wsg]

I appreciate the help! About 5 yrs ago I had to get rid of another tree for similar reasons but we had just moved here. Now this tree is going.. I have two more of the same tree on the other side of the driveway, any ideas to help prevent this from happening?

I disagree.

Holes that are perpendicular in the trunk are evidence of bird damage, i.e. sapsuckers.

The tree also has very poor structure due to the fact that the branch angles are very narrow and weak.

The other trees I have are in fact wider as far as limb structure but they looked bigger/older.

 

[Ed Roland]

Iron deficiency is very common and very treatable. I see no indication in these photos of Fe deficiency. The linear holes are indeed caused by sap sucker and should be ignored. Dibotryon morbosum (black knot) is specific to Prunus sp. and not Acer.

I would guess the tree is simply succumbing to myriad stressors. The most obvious being the fact it's planted too deep. If you want to try and save this tree excavate buttress and scout for girdling roots. Apply a large mulch ring.

good luck

 

[wsg]

Iron deficiency is very common and very treatable. I see no indication in these photos of Fe deficiency. The linear holes are indeed caused by sap sucker and should be ignored. Dibotryon morbosum (black knot) is specific to Prunus sp. and not Acer.

I would guess the tree is simply succumbing to myriad stressors. The most obvious being the fact it's planted too deep. If you want to try and save this tree excavate buttress and scout for girdling roots. Apply a large mulch ring.

good luck

Planted to deep? How is this possible and the tree be the age it is? I have never heard of that but that's nothing new!

 

[c5rulz]

Planted to deep? How is this possible and the tree be the age it is? I have never heard of that but that's nothing new!

It's fairly common when housing develops areas are around existing trees. The excavator mounds dirt around the tree and a few years later the tree is stressed.

 

[Iustinian]

I didn't think iron deficiency was a common problem in the Acer genus to begin with. Silver maples sometimes suffer from a manganese deficiency which has the same foliar appearance as iron deficiency, aka chlorosis, i.e. bright chartreuse leaves that eventually turn yellow, very prematurely compared to healthy specimens of the same species. So if your tree had bright yellow leaves when they normally should have been darker green, then it could possibly be chlorotic. I see no signs of that in your tree, based on the pictures you provided.

in either event, the source of both MN and FE deficiencies is usually due to poor soil pH, generally too alkaline. Very common in plains states and other regions with clay soil, and somewhat alkaline water. This results in a problem with cationic exchange capacity, that is when the soil becomes too far into the alkaline pH range, the iron and manganese that is present in the soil becomes bonded to the soil particles and unavailable to the plant. Even assuming that was the problem with your tree, chlorosis is a very easily and affordably treated problem, managed by properly timed concentrated chemical injections to either the soil or the buttress area of the roots. I'm not impressed with the plugs sold at retail outlets.

I agree with the previous poster in that your tree was planted to deeply. I've seen Greenspire lindens grow to 40' after having been planted too deeply, eventually falling over into the street after a storm. This occurred even after corrective measures were taken to attempt to save the tree (in the manner described by the previous poster) several years after planting when a consulting arborist noticed it.

keeping a tree healthy is tantemount to its survival obviously -- a stressed out tree will produce larger amount of different hormones that a healthy tree will not; these hormones will attract insects which will easily finish off the suffering tree.

Based on the size and poor health of the tree you have pictured, I would remove it and properly plant something else.

good luck

 

[wsg]

Consider it removed, thats what i figured id be doing either way from its condition. Thanks for the help.