Q. We have a 9-year-old
Chitalpa tree which has deeply cracked bark. The tree is in the front yard of
our south facing home and provides shade. Is there anything we can do to save
it?
Chitalpa tree which has deeply cracked bark. The tree is in the front yard of
our south facing home and provides shade. Is there anything we can do to save
it?
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| Chitalpa. Not the readers. |
A. This tree easily gets sun
damage, sunscald, on the trunk on the west and south sides if the trunk is
fully exposed to the sun. Sunscald causes deep cracks in the trunk as the trunk
dies on that side and begins drying.
damage, sunscald, on the trunk on the west and south sides if the trunk is
fully exposed to the sun. Sunscald causes deep cracks in the trunk as the trunk
dies on that side and begins drying.
The trunk is dead on this side and as the trunk dries
out, it cracks. It is not dead on the north and east sides and this may be
enough to keep the tree alive. It is possible for the tree to recover from this
type of damage.
out, it cracks. It is not dead on the north and east sides and this may be
enough to keep the tree alive. It is possible for the tree to recover from this
type of damage.
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| Not the readers tree but vertical cracks developing on the trunk due to sunburn and partial trunk death on the sunny side. |
Not much you can do about the damage already done. When
growing this tree, it is best to leave lower limbs to help shade the trunk until
it gets older. At this point, all you can do is make sure it has enough water
and fertilize it in the spring to help it recover.
growing this tree, it is best to leave lower limbs to help shade the trunk until
it gets older. At this point, all you can do is make sure it has enough water
and fertilize it in the spring to help it recover.
Fertilize once a year with something like 16-16-16 in
late January or early February. This helps push new growth which shades the
trunk.
late January or early February. This helps push new growth which shades the
trunk.
If there is new growth coming from the trunk, don’t
remove it. Remove it when this new growth gets larger than pencil diameter.
Otherwise, leave it alone.
remove it. Remove it when this new growth gets larger than pencil diameter.
Otherwise, leave it alone.