Needing help identifying what might be wrong with my Maple

[christinal]

Hi, I'm new to the site. I'm very concerned about our Maple tree (I'm not sure what type of Maple... but it is definitely not a red maple!) and was hoping some of you would be able to help me identify what might be the problem and if the tree is going to be able to be saved.
We bought our house in 2010 and it's our first home. We only have 2 trees in the yard and this Maple is the only tree in the back. It is very close to the house... the house was built in 1949 and the tree was most likely planted then(?). Shortly before we purchased the house the previous owners had to excavate very close to this Maple tree to do some work on the sewer line. When we bought the house it was obvious that the excavation had been done recently and they did tell us about the work they had done (I mention this because maybe the excavation so near to the tree is what has caused this sickness?)
This past summer the tree started off by having some black spots on the leaves...as the summer went on more spots on leaves and some of the leaves fell much sooner than normal and were black. I did some online searching and thought it was most likely due to all the rain we got in the spring and then a dry spell later in the summer.. but from what I read it looked like it was something that the tree would pull through and nothing could be done, so we didn't call anyone out to look at it.
Also, I noticed last summer that there is one branch that seems to be half alive... it was very thinned out on top this summer and only leaves (with the black spots) on the lower levels.

Now today, I was outside playing with my son (the weather is really warm right now for a Chicago-area January!) I think it's the first time I've really spent time outside just sitting and taking in my surroundings since fall. ... anyway, so I notice this UGLY spot on the Maple! Here are a few photos.

It starts on one side of the tree and goes up around the part of the tree where the branches start (which is about a foot taller than I am... I reached my arms up to get the one shot and was so sad to discover that it appears the inside of the tree is rotted out... something I'd never notice because its too high to see from the ground and I'd never had reason to look up there..), and then it goes around and down the other side of the tree. The branch that is seems to encircle(?) does go over our house a little bit and my son's room is right below it.

I'm concerned because I adore this tree and, (I know this might sound crazy) I'm getting a little choked up thinking that we might lose it.
I'm also concerned because the tree is so close to our house and branches do go over our roof, so if it is unstable I want to put my family's safety first.
I'm just REALLY hoping that the tree can be saved.

Do any of you have an idea of what might be on the tree?
Do you think the tree my be savable?
... If not... is the disease, or sickness that is has something that will spread to another tree that we would plant in the backyard if we do have to have this Maple removed? (what if we selected a tree type other than Maple?)

Thank you SO MUCH for any insight you might be able to share with me. (and my apologies for the long post)

~Christina

View attachment 220956View attachment 220957View attachment 220958

 

[Urban Forester]

This may be a sugar or silver maple. The blk. spots were Tar Spot foliar disease. You were correct about it being due to a rainy spring and it is not a concern. The dark spot on the trunk is most likely phloem (sugars and carbohydrates) that was destined for the roots. Warm weather can cause maples to "run" moving fluids. This may indicate a small opening in the crotch. In the spring have an Arborist out to determine if the split is a structure concern and see if the tree needs to be cabled. Tell him about the excavation. A silver maple should be able to withstand up to 25% root disturbance. If its a sugar, they tend to be a bit more sensitive. It may need a soil injected soil amendment (not fertilizer!) to help re-build the roots. Overall I would think that this tree is NOT in serious trouble.

 

[ATH]

First, the tree looks like it is a silver maple.

It is unlikely the leaf spots are related to your pictures. The leaf spots were probably tar spots (a simple Google search for tar spot on maple should give you pictures). That is ugly, but not harmful. Don't waste money on sprays. I'd go so far to say don't hire somebody that doesn't try to talk you out of spraying for that. Preventative fungicides can be used if you choose to have that done...but somebody who tries to push that is probably not an aarborist you want a long-term relationship with.

The pictures show slime coming out of rot. There are a few sources for this, but the bottom line is that the slime itself is not a problem...the problem is that it is coming from a rotted area. How bad is that rot? You cannot post enough pictures for somebody to properly diagnose that online - get somebody who knows what they are doing to look at it in person. Expect to pay for that service...you are not looking for an estimate to perform work (yet), you are looking for a diagnostic service. It may come to the point where you need services, and the firm you hire to do the diagnostic may or may not offer the service you need.

(UF beat me to it...I had the window open, but didn't get a chance to reply...)

 

[Ed Roland]

It may need a soil injected soil amendment (not fertilizer!) to help re-build the roots. Overall I would think that this tree is NOT in serious trouble.

Acer is specific to endomycorrhizal associations.

 

[Ed Roland]

Remove roots and you remove suberin production. Does that not translate to a more susceptible leaf ?

Bacterial oozes happen in maple, too.

Do like UF says, have a qualified arb out. Spend some Hamiltons instead of Franklins.

 

[Urban Forester]

Remove roots and you remove suberin production. Does that not translate to a more susceptible leaf ?

Absolutley...:msp_thumbsup: Weak(er) = Target, i.e. reduced inate defense mechanisms. I've also noted increased Tar Spot activity in hybrid maples, what does that say about genetic alterations? :msp_confused:

I totally forgot about bacterial slime being a possibilty. I think (no I'm SURE) I'm getting old.

 

[christinal]

Thank you

Thank you all so much for your replies! I am so relieved to hear that this is not as serious as I initially thought (when I did a search the other day I thought it might be a canker.) We will have someone out in the spring to take a look at the tree.

It's also very interesting to learn more about trees through your comments and doing some online research..! Maybe I should have been an arborist

 

[Urban Forester]

Maybe I should have been an arborist

There's still time....If we can do it, you can too!!! :msp_biggrin:

 

[ATH]

 

[christinal]

Ha! I like it. I'm a fine artist, so I've heard something similar to this many times

 

[christinal]

The slime is different today..

.. it's a MUCH lighter shade and doesn't have that black appearance

I like the cartoon, ATH I'm a fine artist, so I've heard something similar many times

Urban Forester, Thank you for the encouragement. ..sometimes I still feel like I don't know what I want to be when I "grow up" ..guess that's why I ended up being an artist, ha!

 

[Urban Forester]

In an esoteric sense an Artist and Arborist have a lot in common we just "create" in different ways