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| I just noticed this today about 5 feet up on my London Planetree. What is it and will it cause long term damage or death?
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Follow-Up Postings:
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| Looks like damage from a borer that nearly or did girdle the trunk. It won't kill the tree but if it did girdle the branch/leader, it should sprout below (looks as if this is already happening). Give it lots of water and perhaps a shot of fert next year and see how it heals. It has already calloused so that's a good thing :) I am assuming your tree is established and in the ground a year or two? The drought the last 2 summers has made a lot of trees weak and prone to attack form various pests. I can't tell you how many maples looked like that last year. I actually have 1 Red Sunset that looks nearly identical to your sycamore. John |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Sun, Nov 18, 12 at 17:22
| It is a canker of some variety - Platanus are somewhat prone to an assortment of cankers, several of which can be quite serious. I'd take these same photos into your local extension office for an accurate ID and any treatment recommendations. |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Sun, Nov 18, 12 at 17:25
| Looks as though something was tied around the trunk too long and gouged into it as it expanded with growth. Hopefully, whatever it was is not still embedded in the tree. And then possibly, an additional wound formed above that area, or perhaps some other injury or canker-forming disease took hold. You can see the tree is doing a good job of walling off the wound on the outside of the expanding trunk. That's that roll of callus tissue and it will, if all goes well, continue doing so. Not much if anything to be done beyond the usual-keep it watered if things get very dry, maybe a light dose of fertilizer could aid in its recovery, but don't get carried away with that. +oM |
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| I don't know guys. I have seen this happen to many, many young trees the last two years and I think it is more a combination of extreme prolonged heat and severe drought. On the trees I had to cull with identical injury, borer tracts were apparent at the injury site. Nothing to do with wires being attached or previous mechanical damage. Canker is a possibility and both of you are way more knowledgeable than me of course. Just throwing my 2 cents out there John |
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| Knowing more about the history of the tree and seeing the entire tree (so we could see where the wound was located) might shed more light on what's happened, but, given what we can see in the pictures above, I'd say +oM is likely to be on the right path. Girdling from staking is what immediately came to mind when I saw the pictures, especially the second one. |
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| Hmm... well my Red Sunset has the exact same injury and has never been staked. If I put the pics side by side, they would be nearly indistinguishable. And wouldn't a staking injury be confined to less than half the trunk since the wire doesn't wrap 360* around the trunk? Just asking for my own education. John |
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- Posted by greatplainsturf 6/7 OK (My Page) on Sun, Nov 18, 12 at 19:13
| I never staked the tree this high. I bought directly out of the field on the tree farm and I doubt he had it staked. Bottom line it sounds like its not a goner yet. Just keep it watered. |
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| If you keep it very healthy and happy, that sycamore can close that callous in one season as long as it isn't completely girdled! :) It really isn't a very large wound and the tree should be young and vigorous at this stage. But you have to commit to soaking it once weekly and all should be good. I can give you personal wound closure comparison pics if you want. |
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| if gal is right and it is a canker, you might want to remove all the wood until you get completely into healthy tissue. I am no expert with diseases obviously, but some cankers will just be calloused over and compartmentalized and no further action required form the owner. I'm going to just let my maple go and see what it does. It has been in the ground 2 growing seasons now and so I'm confident it will correct itself. John |
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| If the tree was tagged for an extended period at the tree farm, maybe that could have caused something like what we see. |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Sun, Nov 18, 12 at 22:00
| I agree with jond that decayed wood should be carefully removed from cankers-when possible to do so without causing further damage. But in the pictures, there's such good callus development that I'd not dig around at all. BTW, one of the worst things that can happen to a tree is re-injury in the same exact location as previously. So for example, if something damaged that callus roll, the tree would at that point have a very difficult time closing the resultant wound. One other thing about a wound like that-in all likelihood, the tree will be able to overcome it and by laying down new layers of wood in concentric rings as the next few years go by, it will be able to regain its structural integrity. But....if some strong wind should come up before that has had a chance to happen, it does stand the chance of breaking at that point because it is weak. Again, nothing to be done about this really. Just something to be aware of. +oM |
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- Posted by greatplainsturf 6/7 OK (My Page) on Sun, Nov 18, 12 at 23:32
| The ring does pretty much go all the way around the tree. It's been in the ground since spring 2011. I planted three planetrees and to date none of them have shown much vigor or growth. They have basically not grown at all the last 2 summers. I have watered but we have also had major drought. That sucker growth you see below the ring showed up this fall after it cooled down. They are about 5 inches long and that is the longest growth the trees have put out since I got them. |
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- Posted by toronado3800 Z6 St. Louis (My Page) on Sun, Nov 18, 12 at 23:47
| Do I see the clean lines of new construction housing? My friends in new, no top soil havin neighborhoods, have a more difficult time than I do with transplants. FWIW, it looks like the tree is trying to encapsulate whatever went wrong. |
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| Agree with those who think it is mechanical damage, probably from being tied to a stake too long and/or with inappropriate ties. No sign of any pest or disease to cause it. Resin |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Mon, Nov 19, 12 at 8:04
| 2nd pic.. anyone wondering why the very large co-dominant leader was previously removed??? ken |
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- Posted by salicaceae z8b FL (My Page) on Mon, Nov 19, 12 at 8:47
| Yes, mechanical damage -or perhaps squirrels. They do this to thousands of live oaks in this region every year. The lean margins with healthy callus suggests a mechanical wound rather than canker or borers. |
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| Gotta love the education one can get on this site! Greatplains, did the part of the tree above the injury hold its leaves normally or did they drop prematurely? I am wondering how it will leaf out in the spring if it is completely girdled but have a feeling if callous can form that well on all the margins, it might leaf out fine. You stating the tree hasn't grown much combined with lack of callous covering the old leader makes me think the tree is not gaining caliper very quickly at all. It may indeed take more than 1 season to cover it if it keeps the slow pace up. I guarantee the weekly soaking will help. Might not also hurt to increase the size and depth of the mulch ring if the one it has now might be inadequate. I have noticed the last year it wasn't the depth of the mulch ring so much as the diameter of the mulch ring and lack of competition that produced the best growth on my stuff. Probably makes many of you think DUH, John! My bareroot sycamore grew 1-2' the first two years then 3-4' on the leader this year and other branches were 2-3' so you might be entering a good established time for the tree that will also help it grow and close the wound. Spring planting around here in 2011 was a disaster with the 2' of rain in a month and a half then 2 months of triple digits as high as 120*. Everything was stressed the heck out and many established trees of all ages and species succombed including all kinds of oaks, pines, and juniper/cedar. That planting time locally was rough of everything combined with new construction "dirt" I bet you couldn't break down a foot even with a pick ax so just think how hard a time that tree had putting roots out! John |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Mon, Nov 19, 12 at 9:39
| Actually, j0hnd, good point bringing up the mulch ring. I forgot to mention that. And you're exactly right-overall size of mulched ring is far more significant than depth of mulch layer, provided this depth is not some crazy amount. On the other hand, it is very callous of you to keep spelling callus that way! ;^) +oM |
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| I am bothered by that huge pruning cut also. As is the tree. If you want trees to grow be sure they are mulched and watered, as needed, and that soil nutrient deficiencies are addressed. If a site is too different from what a particular tree is adapted to getting it to grow there can be a struggle even when mulching etc. are employed. You said there are three of them, did you get these hybrid planes to take they are progammed to grow to a huge size? |
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- Posted by greatplainsturf 6/7 OK (My Page) on Mon, Nov 19, 12 at 23:23
| The leaves were toasted from the summer heat. They didn't drop prematurely, but maybe a week earlier than the other 2 sycamores. The buds up top look good to me. I still can't fathom how this could be mechanical, how would it have been staked so high on the trunk? I will increase the size of the mulch area to see what difference that makes. |
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| "I still can't fathom how this could be mechanical, how would it have been staked so high on the trunk?" How high is the damage? And, what about my tag idea? |
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- Posted by greatplainsturf 6/7 OK (My Page) on Tue, Nov 20, 12 at 17:28
| The damage is 6 feet up. I staked it here, I'm sure it wasn't at the tree farm, at least not since it was very small. I put the sold tag on it myself on a side branch, not the trunk and it was on there about 3 weeks. I think because on the one side it's so straight across everyone is jumping on mechanical. It's been in my yard over 2 years and nothing has been near that damage area in that time. Perfect trunk till recently. |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Tue, Nov 20, 12 at 17:40
| Greatplains, I've seen plenty of trees with just such a wounding pattern-from stuff being tied or wrapped around the trunk for too long. That's why I said that. If it's not from that, well, by criminy, I don't know! +oM |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Wed, Nov 21, 12 at 8:15
| i have watched you struggle.. out there on the great plains ... over the years ... offered all kinds of help ... and wisdom ... so you know i want you to succeed ... so with that in mind.. i have to suggest.. that i seem to recall.. that you have often bought large stock .. and have struggled with them all .. seems there was some blue spruce back when ... the problem with digging.. moving.. selling.. transporting.. and planting.. rather large stock [which is anything over 6 to 8 feet .. IMHO] .. is that they do this kind of thing ... because they just cant handle all the stress ... if this damage is at 6 feet.. then i am guessing.. that the tree is 12 to 15 feet tall .. IMHO.. instant gratification .. when buying larger transplants .. is counter-productive on some level ... and should be left to the professionals .. finally.. you said: Perfect trunk till recently. ==>>> then what is that big gaping wound from removal of the co-dominant leader???? here is my best GUESS .. the co-dominant leader was failing.. and some idiot.. tried to WIRE IT in place.. to save it.. but it eventually failed.. and the wire.. caused the damage on the good leader.. but as usual with a tree ... it didnt 'show' .. until the tree was stressed out to the max .... by the digging.. shipping.. and planting ... it can take years.. for damage to 'show' ... its my best guess ... you have two options.. leave it there.. and watch the process.. while letting the tree do its thing.. and see if it can recover ... and this will probably involve some future tree surgery .... or get rid of it because its bugging the heck out of you ... and add the knowledge to your learning curve ... and if you replace it.. shop in the 6 to 8 foot range ... as always.. good luck ... ken |
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| That damage looks similar to damage I see on river birch, privet, and common lilac caused by European hornets. |
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| The damage in the first and third pictures does resemble damage from European Hornets, as well as other causes, but I've never heard of or seen European Hornet activity result in a single line of damage wrapping around the circumference of a branch, like in the second picture. A broad ring of damaged area, yes...a patch, yes...but nothing that resembles the damage done by a wire wrapped around and left on a branch. |
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| Bumping for spring update when the tree breaks bud. I want to know if the section above the injury leafs out! John |
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