bsirvine
New Member
All:
I've got an American Beech about 85" caliper. It has been a domestic tree since the early 1970s, but before then I believe it was just growing out in the woods (that was when our subdivision was built). Seems to be doing OK (no dieoffs or other significant problems). I do have several concerns:
1. Fairly low down on the trunk there are several small holes (less than 1/32") in the bark that put out a fluid (bleeds) that discolors the bark (seem to bleach it actually). I thought they were borer holes, then I thought they were slime flux holes but I actually don't know what they are. I've probed then with a sterile probe and there seems to be a some sort of void behind them. To eliminate borers I got a hypodermic needle and injected a solution of Dursban into the holes. One or two of the holes stopped bleeding within about a year but the others continued bleeding. Any ideas any solutions?
2. This winter a combination of dog running around and torrential rains eroded a lot of soil from above the roots of the beech. I'm noticing that about 50% of the tree has girdling roots. Looks like these have been there for years. Today I got out my chisels and removed one that was about 1" in diameter. It left a 3/4" deep bark lined semi cylindrical ditch in one of the major roots that goes out straight away from the tree. Seems like on this side of the tree just about all of the roots have at least one branch that cuts about 90 degrees about 3" away from the tree trunk and proceeds to girdle its neighbor. I've decided to take this kind of slow because I don't want to do more damage than necessary.
3. All over the tree there are these holes about 1/8" in diameter that never heal over and just seem to be open to the outside. In most cases the tree seems to have adapted to them because the the bark sort of surrounds them and grows out. They sort of look like a "volcano" with the vertical trunk and stem forming the base upon which this "volcano" grows. These holes don't seem to bleed and do appear to be dry.
4. I've got several branches where squirrels appear to be taking off the bark (every year) on the horizontal surface on top of the branch. Over the years the wood in the interior of the branch is exposed and in a few cases rot has set in.
5. The tree seems to take many years for wounds to callus over and heal. The tree was pruned about 10 years ago and many of the wounds have decayed into the interior of the tree (and still haven't healed). This seems to be a particular problem where the pruning cut left a horizontal wound. I know Shigo says I shouldn't "paint" these wounds but I am severely tempted.
Anyone have American Beech experience?
I've got an American Beech about 85" caliper. It has been a domestic tree since the early 1970s, but before then I believe it was just growing out in the woods (that was when our subdivision was built). Seems to be doing OK (no dieoffs or other significant problems). I do have several concerns:
1. Fairly low down on the trunk there are several small holes (less than 1/32") in the bark that put out a fluid (bleeds) that discolors the bark (seem to bleach it actually). I thought they were borer holes, then I thought they were slime flux holes but I actually don't know what they are. I've probed then with a sterile probe and there seems to be a some sort of void behind them. To eliminate borers I got a hypodermic needle and injected a solution of Dursban into the holes. One or two of the holes stopped bleeding within about a year but the others continued bleeding. Any ideas any solutions?
2. This winter a combination of dog running around and torrential rains eroded a lot of soil from above the roots of the beech. I'm noticing that about 50% of the tree has girdling roots. Looks like these have been there for years. Today I got out my chisels and removed one that was about 1" in diameter. It left a 3/4" deep bark lined semi cylindrical ditch in one of the major roots that goes out straight away from the tree. Seems like on this side of the tree just about all of the roots have at least one branch that cuts about 90 degrees about 3" away from the tree trunk and proceeds to girdle its neighbor. I've decided to take this kind of slow because I don't want to do more damage than necessary.
3. All over the tree there are these holes about 1/8" in diameter that never heal over and just seem to be open to the outside. In most cases the tree seems to have adapted to them because the the bark sort of surrounds them and grows out. They sort of look like a "volcano" with the vertical trunk and stem forming the base upon which this "volcano" grows. These holes don't seem to bleed and do appear to be dry.
4. I've got several branches where squirrels appear to be taking off the bark (every year) on the horizontal surface on top of the branch. Over the years the wood in the interior of the branch is exposed and in a few cases rot has set in.
5. The tree seems to take many years for wounds to callus over and heal. The tree was pruned about 10 years ago and many of the wounds have decayed into the interior of the tree (and still haven't healed). This seems to be a particular problem where the pruning cut left a horizontal wound. I know Shigo says I shouldn't "paint" these wounds but I am severely tempted.
Anyone have American Beech experience?
