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| So last year i bought a purple leaf plum and the bark started peeling and dropping sap from wounds. The nursery gave me credit for the tree. I went ahead and planted another tree. So today i get the curiosity to see what was wrong with it and started loosening up the roots. I came to find out it had 2 trunk flares. One under the soil growing its own roots and another on top of the soil. Is this normal. Was this the reason of the tree being sick? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Thu, Dec 15, 11 at 22:46
| Undoubtedly, the upper flared area was actually the graft union. It does resemble the actual root flare, so one must be careful to not regard it as such when planting. +oM |
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| When i got the tree, it was planted to the upper root flare. Leaving the bottom way under the soil. The top root flare had developed thick roots already. Is that normal? |
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- Posted by toronado3800 Z6 St. Louis (My Page) on Fri, Dec 16, 11 at 2:01
| I believe that tree/shrub decently easy to root from cutting so I bet trying to grow new roots at the correct depth is to be expected. Can ya put a pic up? |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Fri, Dec 16, 11 at 9:22
| PPPlum.. is one of the most problematic, disease-prone trees that i have ever had the pleasure of owning ... sooner or later it will die.. it is extremely short lived [that means 20 years with trees.. lol] ... wait for the black knot .. the weeping wounds ..etc ... i have been contemplating killing mine for 5 years .. just never seems to get high on the TO DO list .. lol ken |
Here is a link that might be useful: link
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Fri, Dec 16, 11 at 12:44
| Yes cypher, that is typically what happens. Most species will form roots above the root flare if planted as yours was. In fact, when we-the organization I work for-get trees exhibiting this, we remove all of those adventitious roots above the root flare. However, I'm doubtful that these roots, and the improper way the nursery had planted it previously, were the cause of the tree's death. The effects of such improper planting are more long-term. Not saying this is certain, but from this distance, it seems to me that other factors were involved in the tree's decline and death. And like Ken states, this whole genus-Prunus-is host to a wide range of maladies. One more thing: I applaud your curiosity to see what you could learn by "dissecting" the tree post mortem! The Wisconsin Arborists Association used to have a large display at meetings, of just such "disinterred" specimens. Quite fascinating to see all the garbage that was going on below ground. +oM |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Fri, Dec 16, 11 at 13:34
| also ... some dead brain cell tells me it was WAY OLD SCHOOL to actually plant the graft below ground .... i think some conifer guy tried to do that again a decade or so back .. and though he had some success .. it never really caught back on .. sooooo ... maybe the producers grandpa was the one potting up new grafts.. and just went old school on them .. dropping sap from wounds .. as you call it.. is gummosis ... and is not necessarily related to the planting.. it is endemic to prunus ... and often occurs .. for no good reason other than the tree feels like doing it ... as is sun scald .... which could be a reason for bark peeling ... and that could have happened a few years.. prior to the actual damage showing ... ken |
Here is a link that might be useful: flip to the web side for links to articles
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