Rotted Maple Tree

[BC WetCoast]

FWIW, if the wound is huge, irregular and the tree is not going to encapsulate it in a decade I question Shigo and CODIT. .

Heretic

 

[chzuck]

Thanks to all for the advice. I will just leave it alone and monitor it.

 

[Toronado3800]

Heretic

That was funny.

Seriously though, think about it.

-A bunch of oaks get painted after pruning every year to make SOD somewhat less likely

-Some wounds a tree just IS NOT going to compartmentalize. These are different than taking a 3" branch off a healthy Acer rubrum.

-The most delicate of trees operations I have ever done have involved WAX & TAPE on a fresh wound as a way of increasing the chances the live cambium can not just compartmentalize but seal back up. It amazes me but that near liquid wax doesn't get transported up the saplings in fatal levels.

I am not saying seal every wound, or most even.

 

[BuckmasterStumpGrinding]

Sometimes the heartwood can rot out of a tree and leave a healthy shell that will continue to grow for years. There are no targets and the balance looks like it will keep the tree off house if it did fail. Look at ancient hardwood trees. I would say most of them have lost their heartwood at some point.