More Sugar Maple issues..

[bclure]

Hi All.. Noobie here from Keene NH. Great site. I was asked to look at a sugar maple yesterday. It's just off a busy city street. It looks like it is about 20% or slightly more dead. A couple of the leaders are completely dead. the first thing that caught my eye is the dead portions look black and the bark is split similar to what you see on a infected beach tree. Lot's of hangers.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Is the tree dying? The homeowner asked to have a removal done but I get the feeling that they would love to keep the tree if savable..

Thank you,
Brendan:newbie:

 

[antigrassguy]

First off welcome aboard. It sounds like you need to get to the "root" of the problem. They have a shallow root mass and are subject to girdling roots and being a street tree isnt helping it much either. Canopy decline is usually a sign of a failing root system. Pics of the base, up close and 20' away, might help. Beech trees with root issues can become homes for the flat headed apple borer that can cause the bark to split. Good luck.

 

[underwor]

Another soil issue to check out is road salt!! Street side sugar maples often have dieback in the top that is a result of high salt contents dumped on the root system by snow plows. Although these are a beautiful tree, they are not street trees, plant them back in the yards a ways and let them spread to the streets.

 

[treeseer]

they would love to keep the tree if savable..

Then price pruning and check back in a year. I agree tha the problem is in the roots--check it out.

 

[bclure]

Thank you!

Thanks you for the responces guys. If nothing else, I will feel better about removing it, knowing that it's in an unhealthy location and will probably always struggle there. When this busy street is plowed, the windrow is deposited right at it's base.

Brendan

 

[Ed Roland]

Another soil issue to check out is road salt!! Street side sugar maples often have dieback in the top that is a result of high salt contents dumped on the root system by snow plows. Although these are a beautiful tree, they are not street trees, plant them back in the yards a ways and let them spread to the streets.

Sho nuff. I would bet that is the issue. Check for lack of buttress flare on any side of tree. If so, dig down to look for girdling root. Anywho, your problem is most likely soil/root related.

 

[ADDA]

Sounds a bit like Leopard Moth to me. Not even sue if you get the bu**ers in the US though???

 

[ADDA]

Actually, for get my previous comment on Leopard moths. I doubt that road salt is the answer though. Usually affects the whole tree and can be seen in the brown edging and shrivelling of the leaves before any die back occurs. Must be a very severe case for the tree to become this badly affected and you would generally find other nearby trees with the same problems??