Maple Tree Dying?

[mr_robmorgan]

I have, I believe, a maple tree in my backyard. The bark is starting to fall off the trunk and there is a white fungus growing up the branches. I was told by a friend I should cut it down ASAP. Does that sound right?

 

[mrtree]

Diagnosing and providing a prognosis and prescription from photos alone is not an easy task. Your tree has issues but it is not clear to me what the biological response to the decay is (or why it has happened) and whether the tree is in imminent chance of failure or can it stay a while longer.

I have little idea as to identification of decay fungi Irpex? Perrinoporia?

Is the decay limited to the apparently dead trunk or is it on the limbs with leaves?

Whatever the case you have extensive areas of missing bark at the base; the extent of loss, biological response, and extent of remaining holding wood needs to be examined and perhaps tested.

You need an expert to make a paid assessment. The best choice is somebody with a university degree in plant or forest pathology, a registered forester. a registered consulting arborist, or a board certified master arborist. Do not be fooled by tree removal companies that advertise certified arborists, the answer will in all likelihood be remove as they need to feed their chippers. An independent consultant is best.

I have no idea where Bridgewater is so I cannot suggest somebody.

 

[mr_robmorgan]

Thanks for the insight. It is a pretty small area out here. I tried the local tree removal company but he was out of town and never responded to my email. Then I tried the local arboretum director but have not heard back yet. I think I will try giving the local state college (James Madison University) a call to see if they know of anyone. The neighborhood is filled with maples and someone had told me that if a maple gets a fungus you have to cut it down immediately so that it does not effect the other trees but that seemed like a blanket statement and surely there are different types of fungus some terrible and some not so terrible.

 

[mrtree]

Don't cut it down (yet)

Call Ed Milhous
Trees Please
(703) 927-2048 (Phone)

http://treesplease.com/

 

[KTSmith]

Mrtree probably has it right with Irpex lacteus (the milky-tooth) as the fungus, although the photos are almost useless. On maple, particularly for street trees, Irpex and its ecological brethren are part of the "clean up crew" which decay dead branches that may be attached but have been shed from the living system of the tree. Whether the fungus on the branch is Irpex or somebody else, it is not responsible for the large area of killed tissue at the base of the tree. That was some human-induced mechanical damage. That sort of injury is rare in natural forests, that do have plenty of decay going on.
If you're paying attention, you should be able to find some decay on any tree of size. So the mere presence of decay is part of nature, not a reason to remove the tree. Sounds like you've got a referral. Sounds like you've got a referral, so let us know how it turns out. If that is Bridgewater, NJ or CT, there are likely more than a few good sources of professional help. Yes, often paying for a consultation is better than getting an estimate for removal if you are interested in retaining the tree, if possible.

 

[guymayor]

Looks like a 3-leader tree, and one leader is being digested. Woundwood response on one side of the trunk looks fair, not great. Removing the 1 leader and reducing the other 2 is an option. Brush off the dead bark and take a pic of the other side of the dead part of the trunk for more info.

If Bridgewater VA then Joe Murray formerly of BRCC is a better referral. Pretty far for Milhous, whose experience with preservation is not very extensive to start with.

Kevin, isn't retaining always possible? It's all a matter of how much reduction is aesthetically or functionally tolerable.

 

[KTSmith]

 

[KTSmith]

Above are two images from about 6 years ago, adjacent the state office buildings in Santa Fe, NM. At first, I thought this was crazy, but I see wisdom and beauty in it for these maples. Yes, great reduction. Arguably, this is likely topping. Yes, the tree base is decaying. Will the new tree system built on the old have a long service life? I don't know. I did visit these again just a couple of weeks ago. Some had been removed, others look great. If there is interest, I can post a photo.

Sorry for the delay in replying, Guy. Was at the TCI Injection Summit in the Atlanta area this week and running to get the chores done (including a doctoral committee meeting this afternoon).

 

[KTSmith]

Sorry, I'll post images as thumbnails next time. I don't upload photos much.

 

[guymayor]

Thanks Kevin,

Santa Fe is my second home now, so it was great to see someone else enjoying those trees!

Will the new tree system built on the old have a long service life? We can get a very educated guess by observing the tree, following Schwarze's direction: to exhaustively examine what takes place when fungus and tree combine. As Schwarze says, “it requires an effort to understand these…’trials of strength’…the only sensible approach to predicting the future expansion of a decay…” Or termination of a decay process; for he and others have observed, “many trees, old and young, in which a decay has been successfully compartmentalized”.

It's sad that, 15 years after publication of Fungal Strategies, people still stand back and guess the worst about decay spreading, instead of actually inspecting for signs of damage and dryness getting walled off.

 

[JD3000]

Just picked up that book.

 

[KTSmith]

15 years after "strategies" and more than thirty after "a new tree biology". Reminds me that Al Shigo died right about 10 years ago.
Yes, if I didn't live in northern New England, I'd live in northern New Mexico!

 

[guymayor]

JD have a happy winter getting through it! Took me 4 times through before I had somewhat of a handle on all that.

It's a handful but worth it! Touching trees + touching books = Arborist, as we have heard.

 

[JD3000]

Thanks. 4 reads through Arboriculture: Integrated has been good for me too.