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Ask The Yard Doctor Trees

What is this black stuff oozing from my tree?

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

We're in Southewestern Ontario and it's been pretty warm lately. There's a tree in the backyard that is dripping some mysterious black liquid, it doesn't look like sap but I'm no expert. Not sure if I should just leave it (I have a dog and don't want him licking it), or get rid of it? Any ideas of what this is would be appreciated (see second closeup photo).

Featured Answer

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

3 years ago

, I'm new to having trees. False alarm....

===>>>

knowledge is power ... so i wouldnt call it a false alarm ... the only bad question.. is the unasked question ...

lets see what other say ... before we write it off as just seasonal ...

i tried focusing on the dead leaves laying around it ... but i dont see a lot of maple ... see if you can find any that look like this:

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffnt&q=sugar+maple+leaves&iax=images&ia=images

or come back when you can get a pic of two of new leaves ...

it does look like maple bark ...

i also wonder why it has that new growth right at the crown ... sometimes trees do that .. when they are not healthy above ..

do understand.. that trees are renewable.. and sometimes they just have to go ... dont go all tree hugger on an old weak tree hanging over your house ...

so look up there before it leafs out.. and take some pix.. if you see anything weird up there.. and lets talk about it ...

leave yard doctor off further posts... that used to cause all kinds of problems... and its a dead forum .... if it were ever active in the first place ..

ken

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Comments (9)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years ago
any idea what the big tree is ... sugar maple just started leaking in my MI last week ... where are you.. big city name ...

are you sure its black.. or is it just staining the bark??? .. try wiping some with a white klennex ...

if it were me.. i would taste it ...

do you know the dog is attracted to it ...???

ken
Chuck C
Original Author
3 years ago
I did as you suggest and it is actually a dark ashen brown color, and it's a maple. I guess you're right it's probably sap! Ha ha, I'm new to having trees. False alarm....
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years ago
Southewestern Ontario

=== btw.. do you mean across the river from detroit?
Chuck C thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Looks like bacterial wetwoodto me.......although I can't say I've seen a case that was that pervasive.
Chuck C thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
sah67 (zone 5b - NY)
3 years ago
Maple sap is also usually a clear, water-like fluid, and wouldn't wipe off as "dark ashen brown" unless it was on a muddy surface.
Chuck C thanked sah67 (zone 5b - NY)
Chuck C
Original Author
3 years ago
The tree is usually full of leaves and I hadn't noticed anything particularly unhealthy about it before now, except 15' up there's a hole developing, not too big yet, that I should probably patch. It appears that all that goop is dripping down from the main tree as it's also coated some of the branches/shrubs on the other side of the tree. My wife first brought this to my attention a few days ago when she said something was dripping from the main tree onto her head. Unfortunately there isn't a single attached leaf right now, and we have so many types of trees in the yard that I don't know which of the leaves on the ground belongs to it, so I will wait until some new leaves come out and follow up on this some more. I'm just glad I didn't taste it, that's for sure!
beesneeds
3 years ago
I agree with gardengal.... it sounds like wetwood. Especially if it's weeping out of a developing hole. Could you get a pic of that for us please?
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
3 years ago
And don’t patch the hole. That’ll just make things worse.

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