Sycamore bark dying from eyebolt?

[Variable]

Image

• Variable
• Sep 29, 2016

Image

• Variable
• Sep 29, 2016
• 1

Three years ago I installed a (zinc coated?) threaded rod and steel eye nut in a sycamore tree in my yard. Something from that combination is poisoning the tree. The bark is dying above and below the bolt. I am going to remove the eye nut this weekend. Any idea what is causing this?

 

[mrtree]

Below you have a dead area due to a lack of root or perhaps damaged/cut root. The trace is obvious.

Above the bolt are you sure that the tree is dying, not that the apparent cracks are really (fast) growth cracks?

Have you also checked for smooth patch or smooth bark fungi?

 

[Variable]

Mrtree, Thank you for the fast response.

The yellowing bark has separated from the cambium. There is a gap under all of the yellow bark and the crack is where it has dried out. The picture of the dark area is where I pried some of the bark loose. All of the yellow bark would look like that if exposed.

The tree is located in my yard and I have been there 5 years. No mechanical root damage to the tree. The yellowing / dying bark is at both sides of the bolt and appears to be the source or start of the problem.

I will look into the smooth bark fungi.

Thank you!

 

[guymayor]

If you carefully remove the dead material, you should find a place where the tree is responding. And if you are removing hardware, what will support the tree? I am not sure about the need to remove anything.