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| I think my silver maple has frost cracks. The cracks are all around the trunk and it's causing the bark to fall off. There is now about a 5 foot vertical crack in the bark from the ground to the lowest limb. In other words, this tree is on its way to losing all it's bark around the base of the tree. It was planted about 5 years ago by the home builder. It has been a fast growing tree (bigger than other neighbors' maples). It's about 25 feet tall. The canopy is in fine shape, but with the bark falling off and a soft spot in one portion of the trunk, I'm guessing I should cut it down?
Not sure how to post photos here, otherwise I would attach some. ☺ |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Likely not frost cracks, but probably "sunscald" (which google). If I had a silver maple with this malady, I would cut it down; even without suncald it would be gone, but that's just me. hortster |
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| How to post a picture http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/hosta/msg0513322013993.html?14 |
Here is a link that might be useful: how to post images
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sat, Sep 10, 11 at 7:46
| is it telephone poled??? ... can you see the root flare?? and pix ken |
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- Posted by hotfries Albuquerque (heather72@comcast.net) on Sat, Sep 10, 11 at 8:33
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- Posted by dan_staley 5b/SS 2b AHS 6-7 (My Page) on Sat, Sep 10, 11 at 11:09
| From here planted too deeply and tree freaking out, the cracking is an indicator of decline. Stressors coming from ample reflected heat, maybe moisture deficit in that small area, planted too deeply. Take it out, get a list of trees from your Association to see what you can replant and do so either PDQ or in spring (spring will have better stock in nurseries). Not sure I'd replant with same (is that like a 'Keithsform' or 'Crimschmidt' or similar?!) Dan |
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| I agree that it was planted too deeply. Other plant material in the bed looks OK, indicating heavy irrigation. Are you in clay soil? Does the side with the damage face south or southwest? May be a combination of problems - sunscald, girdling roots, too deep in heavy soil plus lack of oxygen from over-irrigation? (just a guess). I still would remove and replace it as the damage is extensive. Sorry to sound so negative, but this tree needs to go. hortster |
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- Posted by hotfries Gainesville VA (heather72@comcast.net) on Sat, Sep 10, 11 at 21:29
| Not replanting with a maple. I'm not sure what kind it is. What's the indicator that it is planted too deeply? Definitely in clay soil (hate it). The original damage started on the east side and it's pretty much worked its way around. I'm leaning towards planting a pink kousa dogwood back there, but haven't made a firm decision. Open to suggestions. While I'd love to put a tree back in that same spot, I'm guessing that's not ideal? My other option is to plant a new tree about 8 feet over. We have yet to have anyone return our phone calls about cutting down/grinding out the tree. Had a no show to boot... what a pain. Thanks for the info. Keep it coming. |
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| Kousa is a no-go for that location. Too much reflected heat, plus the clay you have is probable extremely compacted during the construction. I bet it's hard to get a shovel or a trowel into it. All things Kousa's don't deal with very well. So where are you located? Two of your posts says Virginia at top, and one implies New Mexico? I'm guessing VA. From USDA maps of VA, and where Gainsville shows on the map, I'm going to assume you are USDA Zone 6b-7a. The cultivar 'Keith Davey' Chinese Pistache Pistacia chinensis would likely work there. Tiger Eyes Sumac Rhus typhina 'Bailtiger' for something smaller. Golden Spirit Smoke Tree Cotinus coggygria 'Ancot' would possible work. Arktrees |
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| Ken's comment about "telephone poled" is our way of saying that no root flare is visible, a strong indicator that the tree was planted too deeply. A healthy tree shows root flare, the point at which the roots first flare out from the trunk. People commonly do not like to see roots flaring at the base of a tree because it interferes with the growth of grass (which really shouldn't be at the base of a tree anyway) and mowing. The correct answer is a mulched ring up to the base of the trunk, but not touching. Anyway, your tree goes into the ground "like a telephone pole." When you dig the tree out see how deeply the root flare begins. hortster  |
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- Posted by hotfries Gainesville, VA (heather72@comcast.net) on Sun, Sep 11, 11 at 10:53
| That's too bad about the kousa. I'm in Virginia. I'll have to check into the chinese pistache. We actually planted one of those at our house in Albuquerque, but never got to see what it did because we moved soon after. Thinking my neighborhood has lots of telephone pole maples! |
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| FYI. Be they frost cracks or not. Frost cracks are frequently encouraged by forcing trees to grow too fast by fertilizing. Trees forced to grow fast by giving them nitrogen don't form properly and that includes outgrowing the bark. |
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- Posted by dan_staley 5b/SS 2b AHS 6-7 (My Page) on Sun, Sep 11, 11 at 12:34
| Trees forced to grow fast by giving them nitrogen don't form properly and that includes outgrowing the bark. That statement doesn't make botanical sense. Nonetheless, clay is not necessarily bad in and of itself, but construction compaction makes it problematic, including compaction for the asphalt bed, limiting root volume and area upon which to draw moisture and nutrients. Plenty of information at your County Extension Office for trees in that difficult spot. Should be heat- and drought-tolerant. Dan |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sun, Sep 11, 11 at 13:02
| with all that blacktop .... i would not put a tree back in ... what about some clematis on the starkly white fence??? is this condo.. aptmt??? .. home??? ... why are you responsible for it??? is that a wondrous pear behind it???? i wouldnt bother grinding it either.. get the stump cut flush to the ground.. apply 100% round up or stump killer tot eh cambian .. then put a pot over it.. and grow something in the pot ... ken |
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| A little evidence on fertilizer and frost cracks. I learned this in school. This is an html so does not link right click and select open in new tab. http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/barksplit.html And I don't know why this one is not working. http://herkules.oulu.fi/isbn9514259114/html/x199.html |
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- Posted by toronado3800 Z6 St. Louis (My Page) on Sun, Sep 11, 11 at 14:38
| That is a nice house and it seems the OP likes the softening effect plants have because he has a nice garden. In the cruddy compacted soil near my driveway I have some yuccas and prickly pear cacti. Also I continually see trees growing out of the exposed rock cliffs left by highway construction. So I suspect SOMETHING is bound to do well there.....irrigated compacted soil and tight space..... Ken, am I thinking a narrow slow growing conifer? |
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- Posted by dan_staley 5b/SS 2b AHS 6-7 (My Page) on Sun, Sep 11, 11 at 15:32
| Your link doesn't support the assertion Trees forced to grow fast by giving them nitrogen don't form properly and that includes outgrowing the bark. But thanks. Dan |
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| Dan, might need to start a separate dissertion on xylem, phloem, vascular cambium and cork cambium! hortster |
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- Posted by dan_staley 5b/SS 2b AHS 6-7 (My Page) on Sun, Sep 11, 11 at 19:26
| ...then movement of storage products to prepare for winter or spring, hortster. Dan |
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| Yo, Amen, brother. hortster |
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- Posted by hotfries Gainesville VA (heather72@comcast.net) on Tue, Sep 13, 11 at 21:12
| Well after 3.5 hours of work ... the tree is now gone. The tree was originally planted between 8 to 12 inches too deep! It also had girdled roots. |
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- Posted by toronado3800 Z6 St. Louis (My Page) on Tue, Sep 13, 11 at 21:43
| Wow. 8 to 12 inches too deep! Amazing. At least with all my little sissy holes and arbor day bare root twigs if I planted something a foot too deep it would be obvious. Hopefully this will teach others what to look out for. |
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- Posted by dan_staley 5b/SS 2b AHS 6-7 (My Page) on Tue, Sep 13, 11 at 21:53
| Wow. You should let your Association know, as it is likely there are many more just like that. Sorry you had to do that work. I always told my people to never leave anything for the next guy to fix or guess about, because I hated stuff like that. Dan |
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