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southernlivingsc

Golden Sap on Peach tree

southernlivingSC
11 years ago

I'm new here, so bear with me. I have a peach tree, I don't know how old it is. I'm going to say that its about 25 years old. I'm not sure how well it was taken care of before we moved here.

But right now, its oozing golden colored sap. Its not sticky, its hard. The peaches always bud but never grow to be more than just a pit with some skin on it. The peaches also have this golden sap coming from them, where the stem meets the fruit.

I know I need to prune the tree and I plan on doing that soon.

I don't mind that if it doesn't make fruit, but I would like to make it healthy so I can keep it in my yard. Its one of my favorite trees.

Does anyone know what the sap could be from? What kind of disease it could be, and if it could be cured?

I'll try to post some pictures later of what the sap looks like.

Thank y'all so much!

Comments (5)

  • gator_rider2
    11 years ago

    Peaches bear fruit for about 7 years in South then decline starts your best thing to do pick new spot and new tree to plant. If know what de-horn tree looks like that may work cut all limbs cut back to 12 stub on trunk old peach orchard do make out doing this not all.

  • mrsg47
    11 years ago

    Southernliving, sap oozing out of any fruiting tree is usually not a good sign. Either your tree has borers, gummosis,or bacterial canker. All of which are horrible. Since your tree is so old, I agree with gator rider, it is best to chop it down and buy a new peach. Your tree is very old. The amber ooze is sap. Is it all over the tree or just on a select limb? If it is just on a limb, prune it. Peach trees grow very quickly and bear fruit early. Mrs. G

  • Scott F Smith
    11 years ago

    I'd do something like what Gator says, cut the tree way back and hope it still has some life in it. I have renewed several fading peaches that way. They seem to get stuck in a cycle of less and less growth that they need to be slapped out of. The sap problem can just be a symptom of an overall weak tree and not the root of the problem. Do check around the base for borer damage, read up on peach tree borer to know what you are looking for. Borers cause a huge amount of sap at the base and can kill a tree.

    Scott

  • southernlivingSC
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Its on a lot of the limbs, like in the joints of the limbs. Its down at the base of the tree too. I think it could be borers, but could a trauma to the tree cause something like this?
    Last summer it wasn't like this, then my father in law hit the tree while cutting the grass and took a large branch off. Thats when it started with the sap, it wasn't like that until this year.

    I would prefer not to cut it down. It doesn't bother me that it doesn't produce peaches, I just like the tree itself. So I think I'll try to cut it back as far as I can, then I read something that said the if you rake around the tree to the drip line then fertilize then cover with mulch, it could help?

    The last time it was pruned, it looks to be about 10 years ago, judging by the growth. I've only been here for 2 years, and I haven't pruned since I've been here.

  • chervil2
    11 years ago

    My own experience has shown that severe pruning improves the health and extends the life of peach trees. I suggest that you remove the majority of branches with oozing sap as soon as possible.