whaas, Norway maple is frost crack king as far as I can tell. Definitely not wanting to be the last word on this subject-I can't recall many problems beyond Norway maple, and of course, we all hate those things now anyway! I always try to relate things back to the natural situation-trees have come and gone in our state for millennia. Nobody wrapped the trunks, nobody worried about frost cracks, and still, most species came through with flying colors. I don't tend to worry about frost cracks-going on decades now....and my life really hasn't changed. That is, once upon a time, as a novice, I read about this issue and then began to see it out in the field. But again, beyond Norway maple, which we never plant anymore anyway, it was never a thing. Somebody please-if I'm wrong about this point, I'd like to know-are any of you seeing "frost cracks"-I don't even like the term-on species other than
Norway maple?

I wondered the same thing as I don't see it that often except on maples...ie norway and freeman.

I did have it happen on a 8 year old b&b Firebird Crabapple that was in the ground for 3 years. It was off the corner of the house with some nice south/southwest exposure!

Yeah, I guess it's a thing, but for all my years in the biz...I still don't have a good feeling for this phenomenon.

Frost-cracking killed the large Norway maples (~70 yrs old) at my childhood home. Occurred during the bitter cold winters of 77 & 78. Three giant trees had their trunk bark crack in numerous places down into the inner bark, girdling them. One just behind the garage w/shaded trunk was fine, tho, and survived for many more yrs. Later I wondered if painting the trunks white might have prevented it.....will never know.

Red maple also has some vulnerability (killed a large one where I lived in VA), tho I see some mature ones that have relatively thicker trunk bark & prb'ly not susceptible. Young silver maples are maybe vulnerable, tho I don't recall seeing any killed by that particular issue.

I have a mysterious crack on the north side of a young pitch pine...not sure if it is a frost crack, but it is higher then most local animals could easily reach, and I don't remember tying it up at that height. There is an old linden that has a lot of cracks in the bark of uncertain provenance. No deer in the area, and no other mammal would damage barks that high. Could be insects or rot though...the tree trunk is sheltered.

I'm not sure the "trees have survived X for millions of years" argument works. As you stated on a different thread, lots of people plant "foresty" species out in the open for aesthetic reasons...these trees probably get way more sun and wind when young then they normally do growing in the forest. We plant freak mutants with qualities that make them "prettier" but may make them weaker. In the woods, mother nature plants A LOT of trees and only a few survive.

I've been experimenting with pool noodles as tree protectors for young saplings this year (Anyone think that is a good idea?)

Yes, a bit of contradiction there Ed. I had wondered if anyone would spot it! Yes, you can move plants out of their more normal circumstances. We do it all the time. As far as frost cracks, the old model was one of unequal heating on mostly sunnier days in winter....on smooth-barked, usually shade-tolerant species, Ring shake is another related phenomenon. Both are thought to be related to this unequal distribution of heat in winter. And yes, both orchards and some homeowners have painted their tree trunks white in an effort to limit this stuff from happening. I doubt I'll be painting all my tree trunks white though.

Note: Some question whether these phenomena are even weather, moisture, or temperature-related. There is a bacterial component in some ring shake in some genera....and it's not out of the question that the same might not hold true for "frost cracks".

I've seen it on cherries here.