Trying to Rescue My Maple, Need Advice

[TonyF]

Hello,
I just purchased a home with a rather sickly looking maple tree in the front yard. I do not have a lot of tree care experience so I am hoping to get some advice on what the problem may be here. I apologize for not knowing exactly what type of maple this tree is but maybe the pics may help. I will describe as best I can the current status on the tree.

All the homes on my street appear to have this same tree planted in their front yard by the builder. All the neighbors trees look large and healthy. Ours is smaller and has barely any leaves compared to the rest and just looks weak. Lots of dead branches and no growth starting at the top of the tree and appears to be working downwards. Near the ground where the trunk meets the ground the bark appears to be falling off and very brittle. Also right in this area of the trunk near the ground are lots of perfectly little round circles which I am guessing is some sort of borer insect. See pics of the tree attached. I'd like to know if anyone has experience with these symptoms and can offer some suggestions I can try to help this tree. I have tested the soil under the tree and the PH was neutral. I am planning to put some organic mulch around the tree to see if that helps but I am concerned about the holes and the bark falling off and if this is causing the growth problems.

View attachment 245763View attachment 245764View attachment 245765View attachment 245766

Age: approx 20 years
Location: Eastern PA
Sun: gets full sun almost all day

 

[ch woodchuck]

Unfortunatly,that tree is a liability.The lower trunk area is basically dead,including the root system.Maples are prone to being infected by phytophtora root rot,which is caused by a very wet spring or poorly drained soils.The bore holes may be before or after the fact.Borers ''generally'' bore thru the bark and an tunnel just under the bark.What I'm seeing appears to be termites boring into dead wood beneath the bark. there appears to be enough stored nutrients to sustain the tree...I suggest you call a local experienced arborist.

 

[Oldmaple]

I agree. Phytopthora (could never figure out how to spell that) root rot. Can't be saved. In the location it appears to be it should be removed or branches are going to start falling and hitting cars or people.

 

[davidbradley360]

Hello,
I just purchased a home with a rather sickly looking maple tree in the front yard. I do not have a lot of tree care experience so I am hoping to get some advice on what the problem may be here. I apologize for not knowing exactly what type of maple this tree is but maybe the pics may help. I will describe as best I can the current status on the tree.

All the homes on my street appear to have this same tree planted in their front yard by the builder. All the neighbors trees look large and healthy. Ours is smaller and has barely any leaves compared to the rest and just looks weak. Lots of dead branches and no growth starting at the top of the tree and appears to be working downwards. Near the ground where the trunk meets the ground the bark appears to be falling off and very brittle. Also right in this area of the trunk near the ground are lots of perfectly little round circles which I am guessing is some sort of borer insect. See pics of the tree attached. I'd like to know if anyone has experience with these symptoms and can offer some suggestions I can try to help this tree. I have tested the soil under the tree and the PH was neutral. I am planning to put some organic mulch around the tree to see if that helps but I am concerned about the holes and the bark falling off and if this is causing the growth problems.

View attachment 245763View attachment 245764View attachment 245765View attachment 245766

Age: approx 20 years
Location: Eastern PA
Sun: gets full sun almost all day

I just went through this, with a 100+ year old live Oak that was in the family since 1937. See the thread in this forum. The oak was very much alive, and the outer growth ring still feeding water and nutrients to the tree- yet nearly the entire inside of the tree trunk was hollow. This tree had very LARGE branches on it, that would have killed someone, or damaged nearby buildings, if they fell. IT'S NOT WORTH IT. Cut your tree down.

That maple is dead, the bark is falling off at the base, it's basically standing firewood. We keep an eye out for trees like that for firewood, when we are hunting in the fall, because a dead tree still standing will be well seasoned and not laying on the ground getting punky and water soaked.

I about fell over when I saw how hollow a live oak could be, and that tree you have there is probably in a similar condition.

here's the picture of what was left of the trunk, almost nothing holding it up, and we could see where the next section was going to fall

View attachment 246249

 

[keh10]

+1 to the above. Looks like an easy removal. Should be pretty easy to get a reasonable bid to remove from a local tree service.

 

[davidbradley360]

this is an online picture model, it's actually a bit comical, but the proportions are correct

I have other real pictures of the damaged roof on the old farmhouse near the oak tree, where the first limb fell earlier this week. Fortunately it's a house scheduled for demolition, but had it been a valuable newer home, the damage would have been $10,000-$30,000 range.

 

[TonyF]

Thank you everyone who responded. Not being very familiar with tree health, you gave me a wealth of knowledge and probably save me from a potential disaster it sounds likes. The tree removal appointment has just been scheduled!! On the upside I hope to have a nice firewood stock after this.

 

[TonyF]

if this tree is suffering from phytophtora root rot, after I have it removed and the stump is grounded up, should I avoid reusing the mulch for other plants/shrubs or will this potentially spread the problem?

 

[ch woodchuck]

Woody plants/trees with soil or mulch ''covering their root collar'' are very susceptible to rot.Good question about reusing the mulch.I'd say the mulch may not be infected as the pathogen starts below ground.But! to be on the safe side,start afresh,keeping the mulch off the root collar.Regardless of what the pathogen is... phytophtora or some other soil pathogen, I'd suggest removing the infected soil...as much as is reasonably possible after stump grinding as the pathogen will be spread throughout the soil. .Also Check your subsurface drainage..I could probably go on for another hour......But I won't....

chuck