TxActor
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 10:53 pm
Location: Dallas, Texas

HELP~Japanese Maple Tree bark falling off! Look at the pics.

I have a Japanese Maple that has already lost one large limb. Now there are places where there is bare wood...the bark looks like it has been shaved off in several places on the limbs. Trunk looks fine - no bark missing. There is also some oozing where the limb was lost.
Could this be borers? If so, what should I do?
TREE INFO: 20' tall, leaves are red and healthy. Not sure how old the tree is. I have been in the house for 12 years. It was here when I moved in.

Can anyone help? I really want to save this tree.

Below are some pictures.

Thanks!
Doug in Dallas
Last edited by TxActor on Fri May 08, 2009 12:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

MagnoliaMan
Cool Member
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:15 pm

Pictures sure would help. Bark generally doesn't sluff off unless there has been physical damage or canker disease on the tree. I have seen squirrel damage on Japanese maple that , at first, shows as fresh wood exposed against good, healthy bark. Sometimes the bark has been removed all the way around the branch ("girdled") and if so it will die from that point farther out. Get us some close-up pictures if you can.

wingdesigner
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2036
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:58 pm
Location: Michigan--LP(troll)

Sounds like critter damage or flying objects--any high winds lately? Is the tree in an exposed location?

TxActor
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 10:53 pm
Location: Dallas, Texas

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyone have any ideas? Over the past three weeks this has gotten worse.
Thanks!

[img]https://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww58/txactor/TreeProbs004.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww58/txactor/TreeProbs002.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww58/txactor/TreeProbs001.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww58/txactor/TreeProbs003.jpg[/img]

MagnoliaMan
Cool Member
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:15 pm

Except for the bark peeling off by the branch stub, this very much looks like squirrel damage to me. We went through a summer where many of our elms had the same problem with the same appearance and it was diagnosed as squirrel damage. If the bark is girdled all the way around it will likely kill the branch because the vascular system can no longer function. Where it is a strip along the branch it at least has the opportunity to try and heal.
I don't know of any squirrel repellents that are truly effective.
As bad as it looks, however, do not use any paints, tars, or sealers - this can make the damage worse.
Here is an article from the Kansas State Extention Newsletter:

Squirrel Damage to Trees
Tree squirrels can cause a couple of different types
of damage to trees. Most commonly they clip the
tips of branches off of trees. The length of severed
branches is often 2 to 3 feet though they can be
longer or shorter. When squirrels snip off a
branch, they cut it at about a 45 degree angle and
the cut is rather tattered. This is a nuisance type of
damage and normally does not hurt the health of
the tree.
More serious damage is caused when squirrels
strip the bark off of limbs. Attacked branches can
be quite large and the squirrel can effectively girdle the branch by removing all the bark
completely around the circumference. Branches girdled in this way will die and the tree may be
ruined if those branches are major. (Ward Upham)

TxActor
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 10:53 pm
Location: Dallas, Texas

Thank you!!!!!!! I was afraid that this may be borers. I do have a lot of squirrels. I just haven't seen them on this tree very often. I bet you are right.

Anyone else have an opinion?

wingdesigner
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2036
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:58 pm
Location: Michigan--LP(troll)

I concur. Something is stripping the bark, maybe to get at what's underneath. Maybe try feeding the squirrels elsewhere in defense of the tree? Load a gun with birdshot? Ugh. Good luck. Maybe other folks have had luck with some suggestions.



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