Water Maple Bark Flaking off

[whitenack]

Help.

Around my house I have several large water maples. By large I mean fully mature, probably 3+ ft trunk in diameter.

Here recently, one tree has begun to loose the flaky bark in spots. It leaves a bare spot behind, and a pile of bark at its base.

Is it dying?

I can provide pictures if necessary.

Thanks

 

[jimmyq]

always bring the pictures to show and tell.... its so much more fun that way.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

You can start by identifying your tree. "Water" maple means different things to different people; to me and my reference book it means nothing.

 

[whitenack]

Sorry. We call them water maples around here. Maybe cause they are as weak as water and lose limbs in even the mildest of storms. They are actually silver maples.

I will have pictures this afternoon.

thanks.

 

[whitenack]

Here is a photo. There hasn't been anything rubbing up against it.

 

[coffeecraver]

Is this damage on the southside of the trunk?

The grass around the area looks nice and green, do you have
irrigation?

 

[Guy Meilleur]

cc I'm not with the sunscald or irrigation rot theories. Lookslike small holes at the top of the discolored area--dig em out and look for borers.
Discolored area is apparently in sunken portion of trunk, common for bacterial or fungal infections there. Tap bark outside of discolored area--sounds like solid wood, right? Then tap ugly area--if it sounds hollow bark is dead.

Best to remove dead bark with blunt tool like trowel or wide screwdriver. Stop when (before) you hit hard or bright-colored tissue. That's where tree is sealing over infection. Scrape/scrub all decayed material off, then spray with high-pressure garden hose.

Find any other holes? What was inside of them? Find any mushrooms or other foreign--looking matter? Post an image and we'll try to ID, and/or take images and samples to your county ag ext--put your tax dollars to work! (or more likely let the virtual arborists figure it out.)

As always if there is a local certified arborist, it's best to get someone on site who can give you comprehensive service, instead of you trying to put these fires out one by one.

 

[coffeecraver]

After holding a magnifying glass to the photo I agree.

I can see the wood-boring insect trails.

The insects often follow sunburn or injury to the bark.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Originally posted by coffeecraver
After holding a magnifying glass to the photo I agree.
Yeah even my old eyes could see em without magnification, but with specs, no doubtaboutit

I can see the wood-boring insect trails.

The insects often follow sunburn or injury to the bark.
.

Sunscald I excluded because the bad bark seems to be in a depression, while sunscald would not follow that pattern, perhaps more likely on raised portions, which are more exposed to the sun.

Yes insects attack areas weakened by some injury; I hypothesized infection injury because of the type and look of the discoloration. Bacterial infection is common in sunken areas of older trunks, now we'll see if whitenack does the staptap resonance testing and the subsequent surgery.

Many discussions on the wisdom of sanitizing infections here, prowl the archives if you're inclined. How does your state certify horticulturists? I never heard of that.

 

[coffeecraver]

GM : I first became a Virginia Certified Nurseryman
This was achieved by taking a 6 week course through the Va.Cooperative extension
and the Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association.

Study consisted of: Basic Botany,Soils and fertilizers,Basic Entomology,

Plant Pathology,Diagnoseing Plant Damage,Pesticide Use and safety,Plant

Propagation,Pruning,Indoor Plants,The Vegetable Garden,Fruits in the home
garden,

Lawns,Selection,use and Care of Woody Plants,Herbacious Plants,Landscape
Design,and Watering Quality and Conservation.

The Certified Horticulturist:
6 week course and being tested by the Central Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association
and the Va.Cooperative Extension Service.
The course consisted of:
Landscape Design,Vegetable Gardens,;Fruit,Indoor Foliage

Perennials & Annuals,Basic Botany,Soils;Fertilizers;Lawns;Water Quality

Insects,Diseases,Diagnosis & Pesticides,Trees & Shrubs Plant Id

I am currently studying Appraisals,Diagnosis,and Construction Damage of Trees. , please feel free to point things out that you question.It is a constant learning process.

I Have been a landscape contractor for 20 yrs.small time full time with the City.
Got to have those benifits.
I am currently the Gardener for the City Of Richmond with 20 years and 10 to go