Okay, I have a Japanese Maple tree expected to be about 30+ years old. It's starting to warm up here, and buds have started popping up on most of the trees around here, including the maple. But, yesterday I discovered that the bark has shed all around one of the main limbs. Small pieces of bark have littered the area around the tree. The shedding is starting to move up the tree. Does anyone have any suggestions in stopping the spread of the damage, or in protecting the uncovered wood? Here are pictures of the damage:
Agree with squirrels. They strip the bark when the sweet sap is flowing in spring. They have probably killed that entire trunk.
thanks, good advice, but there is also some greenish-greyish moldy fungusy stuff toward the top of the tree. Could that have anything to do with it?
agree with squirrels. could the moldy stuff be a lichen? if so, not harmful. anyway no fungus could ring a tree like that thank goodness. You'll want to get an arborist in asap to clean up the tree. shame.
If we are going to include the photo of the dislodging bark as being associated, then possibly disregard squirrels and consider sunburn. Sunburn, and similar damage, result in bark falling away several years to up to a decade later. If it was merely exposure of wood with no loose flaky bark, then another issue would be involved. Otherwise, you would have two problems - not one. But if the flaking bark when pulled away by hand reveals a similar appearance as the currently exposed wood - odds are sunburn or other problem that killed tissue.
Irrespective of the cause I think you have to remove the damaged trunk(s) The damage is extensive and i can't think of anything you could do to save the damaged parts Sorry ....
