To me - and I stress that I might be wrong - that looks like a fungal infection. There is a type of fungus that causes what's called "dry root rot." There is no bleeding resin with dry rot. The bark peels and the wood under it is discolored and dark. If it is - and I might be wrong! - but if it is, there is not a lot you can do. The tree itself has to fight off the infection. Sometimes the tree wins and sometimes it doesn't. Keep the tree on the dry side, and ensure that the trunk does not get wet when you water it. Not even a tiny bit of water on the trunk. If possible, you should dig some of the dirt out from around the base of the tree, going down at least a few inches. Keeping the wood dry helps the tree deal with the infection. However, you don't have much space there between the tree and your patio so I don't know how you'd do that.

I disagree to agree. Still-calmly-written Sam I accept your view but my view is now unaccepted. Therefore I now disagree to agree. Let's face it, birds nest in conifers as do squirrels I presume, maybe lots of other animals and in Illinois, they will still nest in all the non-native conifers (seed grown or cutting grown or grafted) and this type of view lends to some understanding from your side of a bargaining table. So who is winning?? It's obvious to me that 'Real Trees' are trees and that I like just as much 50Meter Abies grandis planted in Britain out of it's range just as much as I like the color pattern pallete a gardener of dwarf or miniature or intermediate-growing, or a large-growing conifer... the way they lend true space, known true space in many instances -- that these plants are known to do through established written and visual observation. How could your 'true trees' such as Norway Spruce only be "another real tree" when I can plant one here and it thrives just as well or close to, as in its natural habitat of Germany and this not be bending, rules. Does shape (only unknown) as from a seed tree dictate??? Sounds a little one-sided to me and a bit out of reach for those that grow the ones with (known charcteristics). Also, how could a dwarf conifer that during my lifetime reaches a height of 5 meters not be called a tree instead of a shrub? It's a tree even if it has slower genetic growth. That's how I see things. Heigth being a definer of terms. I may have made an argument from a different approach, maybe from several different approaches and then summed it up with an argument to all its own; but really this has become a tad heavily opinionated and sort of silly in ways. Can we agree to disagree? Dax

I like photobucket. Upload your photo directly from your camera or computer. Then copy & paste the html link. You can add text before or after the link. Hit preview message and you will see your photo. Then submit.

Too bad you lifted the cover. I was transfixed with the first picture, wondering what would emerge. I guess I watch too many science fiction movies. Gort, nikto barrata.