Unhealthy looking Maple :(

[Aly_M]

Hi,

 

We have 2 large maple trees right next to our property. This one pictured is within just a few meters and also planted over a high pressure water main 🤦‍♀️ (no idea who had that smart idea!). It's on MOD land and their maintenance is extremely poor, they do nothing with the trees aside from trim them minimally away from buildings and remove storm damage. Prior to our extension 6 years ago we had an arborist inspect it & they identified signs of bacterial bleed which they felt was due to stress.

 

This week we have noticed the same tree (closest pictured to the house) is looking really quite unhealthy. Can anyone suggest what's up with it? (Just to note we do have the same arborist coming back to look but eager to make contact with the MOD if it's something which needs immediate attention...also I'm quite anxious about it 🙈!).

 

Thanks 😊

[Aly_M]

37 minutes ago, JaySmith said:

Looks as though the tree has been on a hiding to nothing for a while. Starting at the bottom there is historical damage at the buttress roots, you can see where the tree has tried to occlude the wounds and not done a bad job considering other issues that’s going on. Further up the main stem there looks to be signs of a bacterial infection and cambium damage, again not great for the tree and essential functions. There are also large pruning wounds which may have contributed to the demise.

The extension that was done may also be another contributing factor to the down turn in the tree, before construction was carried out was a 5837 survey carried out with reference to the trees and protection measures put in place? Also when construction was undertaken was damage done to the roots of the tree? Were materials/diggers stored on the root plate? Not having a go, just my observations.

Also looks as though brambles were growing up the tree at some stage, was the tree engulfed in them hampering growth? Either way the tree is definitely suffering and I feel has very limited lifespan. What was the growth/leaf coverage like on the tree like this year? Looking a the condition without seeing the tree in person it looks like there is only one long term solution here.

Thanks Jay. We had no official survey done but we did try to communicate with the MOD as we wanted to purchase the land to take care of the trees ourself. We had an arborist come and look who recommended removal of this tree to give the rear tree a better chance of survival long term. Yes I think there was some building materials stacked next to it briefly, no digger though as I remember feeling twitchy about where they were putting that (also I think it was only here for a day?). I also don't recall any comments about having to dig through large roots - there was already a single storey brick structure pretty much the size of our extension there (with concrete foundations so deep they had to pneumatic drill them out!!), so we weren't building totally afresh.

 

Re the roots - they regularly drive a big ride on lawn mower over that area or use a strimmer so assuming that could cause the damage?

 

It definitely hasn't grown as much the last year or so & though I don't recall noticing anything unusual about the leaf cover in the Spring/Summer, I don't feel our garden was as full of dead leaves as it usually is in the autumn so wonder if there was less.

 

 Thanks 😊 

[Khriss]

Average Street tree, sadly. K

 

Ahh bless her 😀 just abt to jump int puddle  😌 K

Edited January 15, 2022 by Khriss
Delight

[Stubby]

Its preety much just habitat now .

[JaySmith]

Looks as though the tree has been on a hiding to nothing for a while. Starting at the bottom there is historical damage at the buttress roots, you can see where the tree has tried to occlude the wounds and not done a bad job considering other issues that’s going on. Further up the main stem there looks to be signs of a bacterial infection and cambium damage, again not great for the tree and essential functions. There are also large pruning wounds which may have contributed to the demise.

The extension that was done may also be another contributing factor to the down turn in the tree, before construction was carried out was a 5837 survey carried out with reference to the trees and protection measures put in place? Also when construction was undertaken was damage done to the roots of the tree? Were materials/diggers stored on the root plate? Not having a go, just my observations.

Also looks as though brambles were growing up the tree at some stage, was the tree engulfed in them hampering growth? Either way the tree is definitely suffering and I feel has very limited lifespan. What was the growth/leaf coverage like on the tree like this year? Looking a the condition without seeing the tree in person it looks like there is only one long term solution here.

[JaySmith]

Yes the damage to the buttress roots does look like it originated from mechanical damage, such as strimmer damage.

When the builders were digging they probably wouldn’t have gone through the large structural roots that are used for anchorage as they look like a fair distance from the work that would have taken place. They probably did however go through a number of the smaller fibrous roots that are used for water and nutrient uptake. The fact that there was all ready a concrete pad there before you extended will probably mean that the roots avoided that area, as there will be easier area to exploit in the grass verge.

All of these factors combined are probably the overall reason the tree is struggling. The MOD have a policy with regards to trees ( it will be online ) and there response will be in accordance with that. If the land is MOD owned I would raise a fault/enquiry with them and ask them to inspect the tree.

They may decide to leave it at present and re inspect in the summer months to get an idea of canopy cover and vitality before condemning the tree.

[Mick Dempsey]

Silver maple if I’m not mistaken, very prone to fungal infection through large cuts.

Wood turns to pulp very quickly.

Very much a fast growing/fast dying  street tree.

[JaySmith]

Silver maple if I’m not mistaken, very prone to fungal infection through large cuts.
Wood turns to pulp very quickly.
Very much a fast growing/fast dying  street tree.

Indeed, thing is they were planted because they are fast growing and relatively tolerant of most conditions. Issue is they get big quickly and long over extended limbs and then the residents want them reduced, this then leaves large wounds that don’t occlude well, new poorly attached regrowth and the downward spiral begins!