What happened to my Japanese Maple? - bark at trunk cracked/open

[yukiginger]

I just noticed this 2 weeks ago after that crazy winter. I planted this tree 9 years ago and this is my first problem. I would appreciate you guys pointing me in the right direction. Do I need an expert to fix it; is it something I can handle? The tree is about 5" in diameter and 11' tall



Thanks.

 

[ft. churchill]

I just cut mine down, it was infested with borers. The bark was coming of on one side similar to yours.

 

[sac-climber]

Looks like frost cracking to me. Did your area have an unusually long or hard freeze this past year?

 

[sac-climber]

Also, get that bark back from the trunk.

 

[Raintree]

Not the best pics, if it's mechanical damage just leave it alone. However I suspect a girdling root choking out that side of the trunk. Excavate the root flare then post up better pics.

 

[yukiginger]

Thanks for all the help, guys. Here are two more. The one shows the exposed root flare. Everything "hard" up close to the tree is flare or root. It looks like it's a couple inches too deep and settled after I planted it.

 

[yukiginger]

And yes, we had a very harsh winter here. The tree did take a bocce ball hit a couple summers ago that left a slight wound. It was on this side. Maybe that opened up. That damage was probably 1/2" in size.

 

[Raintree]

Two things, gently pull off the loose bark we want to see if any callus tissue growth, take pic. This could be just bark pealing off an old wound. With a stiff brush clean off the root flare area. Want to see a good pic of what appears to be a girdling root wrapping around the right side of the stump.

 

[yukiginger]

More pics

 

[Raintree]

Good job with the pics. The damage to the trunk looks new, inner bark is yellow & sap is flowing. This wound is what we call mechanical damage. Someone hit your tree with something, landscrapers or kids are the main suspects. Leave the wound alone loose bark is now gone the area will dry & start to callus.
The large girdling roots that you have exposed are unfortunate. Not ones I would recommend cutting, it's too late in the game for that. These roots will slowly & continually choke off the sap flow by compressing the flare.
If you take the width of the new wound plus the length of root in contact with the trunk. What you have left is a very weak Jap Maple surviving on minimal up-take. This will now be susceptible to opportunistic pathogens in the environment.
Consider removal & replacing, if not maintain tree health as best you can. Good luck.

 

[yukiginger]

Thanks, Raintree, and to all of you for your responses. It's been very helpful.

 

[treeseer]

Agree in general w raintree but...the wounded area will tend to dry out so I would cover it. Rubber like a bicycle innertube has worked to speed callus growth from parenchyma in the wood, too. Raintree i'm not sure the wound is fresh?

Not too late to prune girdling roots--the small ones under the wound now, the big one, possibly, in autumn. See link for details; any ?s let me know and i'll ask the author.

http://www.historictreecare.com/wp-...LBG-III-Managing-Stem-Girdling-Roots1.doc.pdf

 

[Raintree]

treeseer, good information worth the read. The wound is recent due to sap flow, thinking the damage was done during dormancy. I tend not to interfere with the healing process leaving the wounded area dry.

Many sources echo Dr. Alex Shigo’s concern: “On older trees... it is best to leave the girdling
roots alone. More harm than good can be done in attempts to remove large girdling roots” (Shigo 1986b).
While strictly speaking this is true, it does not seem to consider the widespread problem
that SGR’s have become, or the technical expertise of today’s arborist. Even some very large
and embedded SGR’s can be removed without damaging the trunk. Pruning roots relieves compression stress, but may cause stress from root loss. The arborist must decide whether eliminating stress by removing the defect outweighs the risk from root removal. Pruning large branches is a routine activity that most trees survive, so pruning large roots may also be tolerated
http://www.historictreecare.com/wp-...LBG-III-Managing-Stem-Girdling-Roots1.doc.pdf

The Arborist has to make a judgement call. Do I sever a 2" root on a 5" Jap Maple that has just lost 25% of trunk function? The tree in question has more than one choking root. If the Homeowner just covered the exposed area back over with mulch & walked away. The Maple will continue to grow & appear to be fine in the short term. However, looking long term, this damaged tree will not develop into it's full potential. This tree will not be a specimen, chances of it slowly declining to Verticillium is good. Hence the recommendation to start over with good stock. In the past I have put a lot of time & resources in trying to save weak sickly trees. Speaking from experience it is best if willing to replace.

 

[treeseer]

Thanks i'm glad you liked it. tough peer review by a couple very smart guys; here's the original. http://www.historictreecare.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Root-Pruning-TCI.pdf

How do you find good replacement stock? most nursery trees have major root issues from birth; like this one! If the OP planted it himself there is 1 sentimental value and 2 motivation to follow up with good care, and in any case 3 you are talking big $$.

It may be generally a good rule not to interfere with the healing process leaving the wounded area dry, but this is not a typical wound. Research in Germany with the rubber trick showed a mass of callus that wound not have developed in the sun and the wind.
Plus, "Cracks are motorways for decay fungi into the heart of the tree." F Schwarze.

 

[Raintree]

I appreciate this discussion. First I am always interested in being educated in new methods. Any info you can share on wrapping a fresh tree wound with a rubber membrane to enhance healing is welcome. I'm sure we both understand that prolonged exposure to moisture in a dark warm environment will promote decay fungi.
Second good nursery stock is difficult to locate these days. I look for unmolested trees with good branch structure early in the season. Before planting they will be bare rooted by washing off all soil and root pruned as needed. Root system is then laid out in a shallow planting hole. Long gone are the days where we would just plant B&B's or container trees directly into the ground.

 

[treeseer]

I'm sure we both understand that prolonged exposure to moisture in a dark warm environment will promote decay fungi.

This theory may seem intuitively korrekt, but ime it is quite mythic. closest lit ref here;
Journal of Arboriculture 25(3): May 1999 113
TREE WOUND REACTIONS OF DIFFERENTLY
TREATED BOREHOLES
by Dirk Dujesiefken, Andreas Rhaesa, Dieter Eckstein, and Horst Stobbe

the rubber trick was shown at the 2010 conference; not published in english.

 

[yukiginger]

Thank you both for continuing the discussion. It has been very educational and I will do more reading before I decide how to proceed.

 

[ATH]

....This tree will not be a specimen, chances of it slowly declining to Verticillium is good. Hence the recommendation to start over with good stock. In the past I have put a lot of time & resources in trying to save weak sickly trees. Speaking from experience it is best if willing to replace.

I don't disagree with the "replace now" thought. HOWEVER, if they want to take a shot at keeping it, I would cut the bad root. We know the fate of the tree if it is left there. Why not cut it and hope for the best? Whether it is "worth" the expense to try is up to the owner. I would invest in new if it were mine - but others would want to try keeping it...