Red Maple - Bark splitting?

DarylC

Posting from the Raliegh, NC area

I have a Red Maple (Octobar Glory) which I planted 2 years ago. It was about 9 feet (3m) when it went into the ground.

A few days ago I noticed the bark near the lowest branches was damaged. What should I do?

Should I dress the wound at all? Leave it alone? Dig the tree up and throw it away so it doesn't infect its neighbors? I planted three at the same time; the other two are thriving so far..

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Eric Frei

I am not sure what caused the damage, for example, fungi vs mechanical damage vs freezing etc.

Seems like it is growing woundwood.

Keep up good care, keep watered, mulched (but keep mulch away from trunk by 6") and ORGANIC fertiliser and soil conditioner like Seasol (seaweed extract stuff).

Around the wound and lifting bark follow some guidelines in this thread. Wound areas can become bug targets and that little crawl space under the bark is a haven for stuff, so let nature take it's course but try to keep bugs etc away.

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Brent Ferris

Especially watch for earwigs - they like to crawl into dark places with tight holes - they feed at night, hide during the day. And your maple looks to be a variety of Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)

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