skip to main content

Japanese Maple Bark Issue

14 years ago

I have a prized Japanese Maple that seems to be having issues with its bark. Large chunks of it seem to be peeling off. We have a lot of squirrels in the yard, and I'm wondering whether it could be squirrel damage. Does this look like a serious issue for the longevity of the tree? Any way to remedy the situation?

-Ray

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

gardener365
14 years ago
I'd cut that one to the ground Ray. It looks pretty bad.

Dax
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
14 years ago
Trees can survive long term with quite a bit of bark damage. If there is nothing else that indicates your maple is ailing, I doubt I would contemplate anything as radical as removing it. Previous damage (sunscald?) looks to have scarred over nicely. Squirrels can do a lot of damage to young JM's - they tend to like the rather tender bark for nesting material - but this looks like a very established tree with pretty mature bark. I'm surprised they'd bother with it but maybe other nesting material is in short supply :-)

Generally the recommendation is to remove loose or damaged portions cleanly and let the tree go about its business of compartmentalizing and scarring over the damaged areas.
Related Discussions
Coral Bark Japanese Maple-Phytophthora root rot(?) -Please help!
Q
Comments (9)
It was suggested "Exact diagnosis can be made by taking a sample to your local extension office but if it is Phytophthora (or another root invading fungus), there is little you can do now." If such a sample is brought to the Extension Service office, please call ahead so that the Master Gardeners have time to locate information as to how to sample the soil & the affected root tips. Also know that a fee is charged, the precise amount depending upon the test to be done -- fees for the OSU Plant Disease Clinic begin at $40.00. Beyond that, I doubt this will be an easy diagnosis. I'd consider multiple factors potentially contributing to the problem: 1. Because OP said s/he "paid quite a bit of money" I suspect it is a sizable specimen. If so, post-plant irrigation is a critical factor in survival. All transplants should go into evenly moist soil, then the rootball should be supplied with more water than the surrounding area during the following months. Failures of recent transplants typically are due to water -- either too much or too little. 2. The sudden very cold weather in December, without snow cover, damaged & even killed many plants hereabouts, including those which survived 10 years or more. 3. The tree is a recent transplant. As such it is more likely to be damaged by cold than an established tree of the same kind. 4. Dormant roots are less susceptible to water damage than are actively growing roots. 5. In general -- and yes, exceptions exist -- root rot results in entire tree failure. 6. It's nigh to impossible to diagnose root rot by looking at dead branches and/or browning leaves. 7. And perhaps most critical, multiple nearby specimen maples are in potential jeopardy if the problem is indeed soil-borne, such as Phytophthora root rot or verticillium wilt. So, I suggest pinkswine consider having a certified arborist or two come for an on-site evaluation. To locate a certified arborist, look in the Yellow Pages under the heading of Trees or something similar. Ads for companies with a certified aroborist will either have a statement or small rectangular logo stating such.
...See More
Japanese Maple ~ Bark ~ Trunk Enquiry
Q
Comments (2)
Hi Stephen,well as you've had this plant for 4or5 years now with no further issues,I'd be inclined not to worry too much about it.All looks dry and I can see no worrying dark patches which would need further investigation and you say the plant is otherwise healthy.Though unsightly it appears the plant has got whatever the original problem was under control now.Obviously keep an eye on it but currently it wouldn't concern me.
...See More
Japanese Maple - Speckles on Leaves + uneven Bark.Gardengal;Houzi;Mike
Q
Comments (5)
Stephen, I can only report what I do :-) Although our climates are pretty similar, I'm sure we get somewhat hotter in summer and that is also our dry period as well.....often extremely dry. 1) You have already come to realize that a durable and very barky potting mix is best. Ideally, the best time to repot or up-pot is in late winter when the tree is fully dormant. And this timing is rather critical if any root pruning is required. But if I am just potting up from a nursery container to one of my own in a larger size, I do it whenever ;-) 2) Your planting techniques sound fine. I don't pack the soil in too tightly but I do firm it in place. If not firm in the container, it can compact and the tree can sink. 3) I only water around once every 5 days or so unless the weather is very hot and dry. Then I move that up to every third day, sometimes every second day but only if we are having extreme weather. And most of my containers are quite large, so that reduces the need to water more often. I water until the water flows freely out the drainage holes. 4) I use the Osmocote (but any controlled release fertilizer will work) when I pot the trees up initially and again at the beginning of each season. I also provide some dilute liquid fertilizer every now and again as it has lots of the trace elements Osmocote and other ferts lack. I don't think it makes much difference what exact product you use other than to avoid any dry organics - they are just not very efficient with any kind of container soil. Liquids or water soluble ferts are the easiest to mix and use but will need to be applied a lot more often than the CRFs. Finally, your little tree with the spotted leaves is not exactly in bad health. It may just need a bit more TLC and to approach its care with more consistency with regards to watering. I can say I have been quite brutal with mine at times when my life gets too busy but they all spring back well from any temporary mistreatment. Growing JM's in containers to their optimum potential takes a dedication that I am not always able to provide but most seem thrive in spite of it :-) Right now I have one that should have been potted up a couple of seasons ago - it is in too small a container for its size and I am sure it is rootbound as it is putting out really no new growth but otherwise leafed out well. I just water it a bit more frequently to make up for all the roots filling the container and it is at the top of my list for root pruning and transplanting this winter!
...See More
Coral bark Japanese Maple -where to plant it to avoid cold winter wind
Q
Comments (3)
I don't think Japanese Maples are in the category of fussy garden plants, but are instead in the category of tough landscape plants. Neither can I imagine that there is any scientific study of wind tolerance applicable to this plant. Most of the information about that kind of thing comes from anecdotal stories which can be highly inaccurate or flat wrong. Usually one tries to satisfy a plant's known general cultural requirements (water, light, soil) but other than that, it's usually pay your money and take your chances. With landscape plants, the chances of success are usually very high. Of course one plant is never going to solve all of the problems in a yard. It's a matter of placing it where it will solve one problem. Other plants can go in other places and solve other problems. Of the options you've presented, I like position 1 because it has the potential to block the view of the sides between the neighboring buildings and because it is not overwhelmed by neighbor's plants. (BTW, if you picked a position where neighboring plants hang over into your yard, you'd probably need to cut off the overhanging portion in order that your tree would have a chance to grow without developing a profound lean to it. You have the right to remove what is encroaching from the neighbor's into your yard ... but only to the lot line.)
...See More
raymondo17
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the input here.

The tree is at least fifteen or twenty years old, and it shows no visible signs of distress beyond the damaged bark, so I'll clean up the damaged portions and hope for the best.

Thanks.
jean001
14 years ago
The wood underneath the peeling bark is dead. Extensive problems there.

What does the top look like? If not so hot, perhaps it's time to pull the plug & replace it.
gardener365
14 years ago
It's gonna fall over the way its leaning. Sure the first injury scarred over but there's a serious split from the fork toward the ground that has underneath (a lot of dead tissue). And I saw what jean did, the bark under the fresh area peeled back is completely dead. That tree is going to succomb. The only thing I did not mention was that if it was tall, they could shorten it to provide less stress. My opinion is that tree looks like a rotten tooth.

Dax
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
14 years ago
Many Japanese maples lean. Often that is one of the features of their very sculptural growth habit. It doesn't imply the tree will fall over. In fact, in all my years in this business, I've yet to see a JM that fell over naturally or without help.

That the tree has been damaged by whatever means is obvious. However I would not necessarily elect to remove it now just based on that issue - many quite severely damaged trees will live on for many years without any additional problems. If the tree appears otherwise healthy (leafs out well, good, full canopy, etc.), which the OP has indicated is the case, then I would be inclined to leave it alone until or if/when it shows obvious signs of distress. Given their modest size, JM's are not difficult to remove/replace when their time comes. But appearance and aesthetic preferences of the homeowner should be the determining factor.
raymondo17
Original Author
14 years ago
I appreciate everyone weighing in on the matter. Besides the bark issue, the tree appears to be in fine shape with a glorious canopy. It does lean, but that's because the original homeowner planted it beneath the eaves of our home, and it's leaning out beyond the house to touch the sky. It certainly doesn't seem unstable or about to fall over, by any means. Aesthetically, it's gorgeous, with these bark issues facing toward the back, facing the wall of the house, so I don't even see the damaged bark. Until it up and dies on me, I can't see removing it. I'd just like to identify what could be causing the problem and if there's anything I can do to prevent further damage.
jean001
14 years ago
Nothing is currently damaging the tree.

The wounds occurred long ago. The tree is still working on covering it up. The best course of action is to leave it be.

Related Stories

TREES Great Design Plant: Coral Bark Japanese Maple, a Winter Standout

By Paintbox Garden

Go for garden gusto during the chilly season with the fiery red stems of this unusual Japanese maple

GARDENING GUIDES 13 Japanese Maples for Shade

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

A surprising variety of these understory trees is waiting to make a statement in your shade garden

TREES 11 Japanese Maples for Breathtaking Color and Form

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

With such a wide range to choose from, there’s a beautiful Japanese maple to suit almost any setting

GARDENING GUIDES 12 Japanese Maples for a Sunny Garden

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

The right maple in the right place shines in hot summer sun

GARDENING GUIDES 5 Amazing Small Maple Trees

There's more to maples than syrup. Expand your maple milieu with any of these 5 small and unusual trees

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Great Design Plant: Vine Maple

Exciting year-round color and adaptability make this highly ornamental native small tree a top choice for home gardens

PATIOS Backyard Ideas: Writer's Studio and a Japanese-Inspired Garden

By Annie Thornton

A nearby Japanese garden inspires a feature-packed backyard and studio for a work-from-home Portland writer

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Lay of the Landscape: Create the Beauty of a Japanese Garden

By Marianne Lipanovich

Balance, enclosures and the forms of nature combine in serene Japanese garden design. Bring the look home with some of these principles

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Great Design Plant: River Birch

By Paintbox Garden

Pick this rugged native tree for its intriguing peeling bark, soil adaptability or leaves that bring dappled shade to a garden

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Crape Myrtle

By Becky Harris

With long-lasting blooms and gorgeous exfoliating bark, this ornamental tree brings bright color and a unique form to the landscape

Sponsored

More Discussions

Usugumo HTF : Hard to Find

2

Acer First Flame

3

Nursery Container Mediums - Sand ?

0

Scion Height When Grafting

0