Tree help needed

[Half Dog]

I can’t remember the name of this tree but I’m a little concerned. Recently I noticed the bark splitting and I wanted to ask here for opinions. Is the split something to be concerned about, is there some covering I need to put on it?

Thanks in advance for your time and effort.

312872

[atr]

Generally splits in trees allow insects to bore in which is not helpful to the tree. The bark is the trees' protection. You might try some of that black gooey tree seal. But for sure find out why the bark is splitting.
best
atr

[Edward]

I can’t remember the name of this tree but I’m a little concerned. Recently I noticed the bark splitting and I wanted to ask here for opinions. Is the split something to be concerned about, is there some covering I need to put on it?

Thanks in advance for your time and effort.

312872

No need for covering just bring a chain saw to the barbeque party as you have seasoned wood , from a guy 46 yrs in the tree
work business /Ed

[BLAHUT]

What kind of tree ?? Sun scald ? Use a tree seal and rap till it heals. Did the wind twist it ? Freeze, new qroth in spring ??

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Don't folks white wash tree trunks in the South?

[HWooldridge]

No need for covering just bring a chain saw to the barbeque party as you have seasoned wood , from a guy 46 yrs in the tree
work business /Ed

Agreed, it’s mostly dead - even though some green is showing.

[poppy42]

The cambium layer of a hardwood tree ( the thin layer on the underside of the bark) is The living, growing part of a tree. It contains the xylem and phloem ( vascular system of a plant )if it is split, separated from the sapwood and the heartwood in such a large Area such as what’s depicted in your photo, for all practical purposes your tree is already dead! It just hasn’t fallen down yet! That’s the simplified answer but yes your tree is already dead cut it down and plant a new one.

[Half Dog]

Thanks for the responses. Sounds like that little tree needs to go.

[Texas by God]

Lots of times the split bark is left from a lightning strike- but I don’t think that happened to yours. I agree that it is gone, though.


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[dale2242]

I buy spray cans of that black under coating used for vehicles to seal splits and pruning cuts.
It`s worth a try.

[GregLaROCHE]

If you cut it below the damaged part there is a chance it will sprout some new branches. However, it’s probably best to plan on replacing the tree.

[Teddy (punchie)]

Easy don't get all cut crazy yet. Do you have more pics? Looks to be a maple of some type. Is the tree growing? Are last years branches making buds and or leaves? Did the tree cry?

Poor old walnut tree at farm has been hit twice by lighting and still keeps greening back up and growing. Grandma and I were canning about 30 years ago now, started to rain and storm BOOM the house shook and light off and back on. I thought that tree was dead but it's still here all debarked in a nice wide section but still make nuts and dirt for the side walk.

Almost every tree has a problem. Someone or something is eating, cutting or trying to push it around.

[GregLaROCHE]

We had a big pine tree at the top of our property. Lightning hit it and took a piece off the side of it. The charge followed the electric fence, that was attached to it for a half a mile and explained the transformer for the fence. The tree grew a sap patch for itself and years later is still growing. It was a healthy tree however. It didn’t look like the tree in the picture.

[Half Dog]

Hmmm. I paid for the tree and to have it planted a few years ago. I don’t know what caused the splitting but I’m willing to try anything. All of the branches are budding with new leaves so I was surprised to find the splits. And what might be odd, the splits are only on the south side of the tree.

[JRLesan]

South side? Sounds like sap rising early due to warm weather and then a hard freeze...

[upr45]

Longitudinal splits are usually lightning strikes. Over fertilizing will also cause splits but the pic looks like a lightning strike. Take it out & replant.

[farmbif]

dont know what your yard is like. I have lots of trees, some grow and some die. I just let them do what they do. if they die completely and are easy to get at they become firewood. if it's budding out and gets full of leaves let it grow and maybe it will heal itself. some trees have messy looking bark. if you want expert inspection call your local extension office and they will probably come out and look at it for you.

[MarkP]

Looks like it is a hybrid Red Maple (Red x Silver Maple) probably sun scald or frost cracks. Just leave it for a yr and see what happens, these Maples grow really fast and cracks on bark are pretty common due to rapid growth.

[bedbugbilly]

Over the years, I had numerous trees that would have damage from various causes - not unlike what you are showing though not always split but damage to bark, etc. I would use plastic roof cement - better known by the slang of "bear crap in a can" - not the liquid roof cement but the think tar like roof cement. I would apply with a putty knife to act as a seal to the damaged area and then wrap with a tree wrap. Most of the time, it would do the trick - keep the bugs out and allow the tree to heal. It would be worth a try to see if the tree will make it and if not - then take it out.

I had a silver maple in my yard at our ould house that I had planted as a seedling. When it got to be where the trunk was around eight inches or so, a dog gone buck came through and used it for a buck rub. He really did the job on it and damaged a LOT of the bark around the entire trunk/main stem. I though I was surely going to lose it but I decided to at least try to save it. I spent a lot of time with the roof cement and putty knife sealing the damage and then wrapped it we with tree wrap and carried water to it every day. To my surprise, it survived - while he rubbed his srack up and down on the trunk, there was enough cambium layer left intact that it pulled through. We sold the house but the tree is still there doing very well some 47 or 48 years after I planted it.

Good luck and hopefully you can save it.

[Handloader109]

Yep, looks like a maple. I'd leave it alone. Especially if most of the branches are budding out. You can always cut it later

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[45DUDE]

It looks deader than a run over sail cat.

[GregLaROCHE]

Just because it is budding, doesn’t mean it is healthy. The buds are formed from last year’s reserves. I’ve cut down beech trees in the fall after there were no leave left. The branches budded and grew leaves the following spring.

[jonp]

Split bark is one thing but by the time it's lifting off the tree it's most likely too late. I'd plan on another tree and make sure it's right for what zone your in

Greg is right about the buds. Trees can save enough to Bud for 2 yrs before death. Let's them recover from fire, ice storms, lightening strikes etc

[Jeff Michel]

Tar and wrap it with medical wrap (vet wrap) at TSC. Trees can surprise you, it would be worth the couple bucks to try.

[BamaNapper]

I'm in the camp that says leave it and see what happens. Hard to tell from the pic but the leaves look like it may be a maple of some sort, and it's common for some maples to shed their bark. Here in the southeast there are a number of trees that routinely shed their bark but I'll be darned if I could name them. Of course my understanding of trees is on a par with my understanding of thermodynamics, which isn't saying much.