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zenderi

Black seeping from trunk? What is going on?

Zenderi
10 years ago

New to posting here. I have a few pics I'll upload asap.

I have an unidentified tree in my backyard that I'm getting worried about. When I built my home, I kept this tree because it looked so nice, so I have in a way grown attached to it and don't want to see it die. Earlier this year I noticed a little bit of black stuff seeping from the base. Yesterday, I noticed there was more. I thought I better obtain done advice.

I don't know what type of tree it is. It's a cluster in the sense that at the base, it's split into about 5 main trunks. It grew this way naturally in the woods before I cleared my lot.

Any help is very much appreciated!

Comments (15)

  • Zenderi
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Another pic

  • Zenderi
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    And one more pic

  • brandon7 TN_zone7
    10 years ago

    Zenderi, I couldn't tell that there was anything wrong from the first two pictures. If there is something in those pictures that you're seeing, you might have to be specific. The third picture appears to possibly have sooty mold growing where sap has ran down the lower part of the trunk. I tried to look at the large version of the picture, but still can't really tell what's going on. Does the area appear to you to have rot? Do you see holes or cracks where the black seems to originate from? The more I look at your pictures, the more questions I have about what I'm actually seeing. The pictures seem like they are good pictures at first, but they just don't seem to substitute for actually being there.

  • Zenderi
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks Brandon for responding. The first two pics are just to help someone identify the tree and/or conditions it is growing in. I really don't know if it is soot or rot. That is what I hope to find out. I will post a close up pic of the black stuff tomorrow. It may give a better idea of what it is. If this tree is dying, I want to take care of it as soon as possible. If it's something I can fix, I want to do that too. It may be nothing to worry about, I'm just not educated enough to know.

  • jqpublic
    10 years ago

    So that's one tree? Maybe all the trunks are beginning to grow together causing slime flux.

  • Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
    10 years ago

    When my silver maples starting rotting at the base I could not resist poking them with a stick to see how deep the soft spot was.

  • bengz6westmd
    10 years ago

    Red maple. Looks like a multiple sprout from being previously cut. Plenty of examples of this in the forests. Some base-rot is common in those cases.

    Personally I wouldn't worry unless it's close to your house.

  • Zenderi
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This is a view of the center of the cluster of trunks. Yes, it's one tree. And yes, it's right next to my house. And I mean right next to it! One thing I noticed when I took these pics is that there were some ants in the center of the tree cluster. Maybe they are killing it? Just typical looking medium sized ants. They were definitely not termites.

  • Zenderi
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    A close up of some of the black bleeding

  • Zenderi
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Another close up.

    Thank you all for the responses. I really hope this will go away, or there is a solution so I can keep this tree.

  • Zenderi
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Anybody? Any ideas? Are the pics good enough?

  • joeinmo 6b-7a
    10 years ago

    It's a maple, and that's sap.

    check out the link of sugar maples being tapped, same black goo until plugged up.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Maple syrup

  • Zenderi
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks joe. I checked that link out. It got me looking around and I came across site that showed a study done on several different types of trees, including maples. The study discussed infections in trees and symptoms. The one that relates to mine seems to occur during times of excessive moisture. I bet the leaves that were sitting in the middle of the trunks of my tree held water all the time and my tree has got an infection. That site gave some scientific name for all the infections but it was something only a scientist would understand. I think my only possible solution is to keep it cleaned out and dry as much as I can and hope it heals itself.

    If anyone thinks I'm off base with this conclusion, please let me know. Thank you all. I hope these pics and discussion will help someone else with this issue.

  • bengz6westmd
    10 years ago

    Zenderi, you might be worrying a bit much....

    As you discovered, dryness is the enemy of rot. That means keeping it clean, free of debris, and exposed to the air as much as possible.

  • Zenderi
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks beng. I guess when you aren't too knowledgeable about something its easy to worry. I feel a little better after all these posts. Thank you all for your help. I knew I came to the right place. If my tree circumstance gets worse, I'll post back. Take care.

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