My Ash Tree is Dying - Any Ideas on how to save it?

[caprice]

I have a Mountain Ash that is about 10 years old. It has been very healthy until this year. I noticed that the bark near the bottom of the tree was split early on in early spring. It has progressed rapidly. And, although earlier this spring it had healthy leaves and bloomed as normal I am noticing some die back. There are clumps of leaves turning yellow and brown. The bark can be easily peeled back from the tree and there are what looks like small earwigs under the bark but I do not see any serious infestation into the wood of the tree. Has anyone seen this before?

[rainbowgardener]

Does your bug look like this:

[img]https://il-orlandpark.civicplus.com/images/pages/N307/EmeraldAshBorer.png[/img]

If so, that is the dreaded emerald ash borer and you should take the tree down and burn it ASAP to try and keep it from infecting every other ash tree around.

But hopefully it is something else. Where are you located?

[lily51]

We had two mountain ash trees in our yard in the house where I grew up.
Beautiful when blossoming , beautiful berries. Being a kid, I don't know a lot about how dad took care of the yard, but I do remember problems with the trunks if these trees. I seem to remember him putting "tar" like substance on it to protect them from bugs due to damaged bark.
I think this tree has problems like this before the emerald ash borer.
If it is the beetle, there's not much you can do to stop it.

[lily51]

Good news (sort of) update.,.mt ash is not a true ash tree and do is not affected by the ESB. Think your problem is inherent in variety, but can be treated for a while.

[lily51]

Good news (sort of) update.,.mt ash is not a true ash tree and do is not affected by the EAB .Think your problem is inherent in variety, but can be treated for a while.