Saucer Magnolia shedding bark

[jgrusso]

My Saucer Magnolia had a healthy bloom this spring but I continue to be concerned about the loss of bark around its trunk (Eastern side of tree). Though it seems arborists today argue a wound dressing such as pruning paint is useless I am concerned for the health of the tree. Here are a few pictures of the trunk as well as the bloom from the last 2 weeks. So far I have not treated this tree with anything other than fertilizer, nor has it ever been painted. Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Magnolia Pictures

 

[treeseer]

nice flowers. Pull that groundcover back form the trunk to give it some breathing room. Take a screwdriver and remove dead (not bright-colored or moist) bark. Also, remove soil from the base of the tree until you get to woody roots growing away from the trunk.

When all the dead bark is off and all the soil's out of the way, take another pic or two and send them in. Use of sealant doubtful to help, but we won't know for sure til we clearly see
the base of the tree.