Elm Tree- Can It Be Saved?

[Rob. T]

Hello,

 

I have an elm tree in the garden with some damage to it- woodpeckers have been taking the bark off to get to grubs underneath and I think the trunk itself is rotting. The problem starts half way up the tree after the three way fork. I am assuming it needs to come down but should we have it removed from the base or is there a chance of saving it by cutting higher up?

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

Rob

 

Damage closeup:

 

 

Tree for context:

 

[Squaredy]

1 hour ago, Rob. T said:

Hello,

 

I have an elm tree in the garden with some damage to it- woodpeckers have been taking the bark off to get to grubs underneath and I think the trunk itself is rotting. The problem starts half way up the tree after the three way fork. I am assuming it needs to come down but should we have it removed from the base or is there a chance of saving it by cutting higher up?

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

Rob

 

Damage closeup:

 

 

Tree for context:

 

Has it got Dutch elm disease yet?

[Rob. T]

2 hours ago, Squaredy said:

Has it got Dutch elm disease yet?

I suspect so but must confess to not being an authority on identifying it.

[openspaceman]

15 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

Has it got Dutch elm disease yet?

 

5 minutes ago, Rob. T said:

I suspect so but must confess to not being an authority on identifying it.

Me too, the woodpeckers and other birds have found the beetle breeding galleries in the phloem and  have stripped the bark seeking the larvae out.

 

A bit hard to tell with no leaves to show dieback but if the scolytus beetle is present so will the elm disease fungus.

 

Depending on species, if it is english elm then the top of the tree will soon be dead, wych elm may survive to flush in the summer but if and when it is re infected...

 

Chances are the root will survive after the top has died if it is cut low so suckers can get away till reinfected.

 

Typically english elm live till the phloem is thick enough to support the breeding  galleries after 15 to 25 years.

[Squaredy]

13 minutes ago, Rob. T said:

I suspect so but must confess to not being an authority on identifying it.

I was just wondering if the branch that the woodpeckers are going for was dead anyway.  Woodpeckers and the grubs they enjoy will much prefer dead wood.  But what Dutch elm disease does is it shuts off the nutrients to the tree at or below ground level usually.  If it has got DED it will be dead in a few years then the decision will be easier.

Edited January 8, 2023 by Squaredy

[Rob. T]

Thank you both for your input. Its a lovely tree and would be a shame to level it needlessly so I think I'll wait to see what happens later in the year.

[openspaceman]

26 minutes ago, Rob. T said:

Thank you both for your input. Its a lovely tree and would be a shame to level it needlessly so I think I'll wait to see what happens later in the year.

Sensible  move, the way the tree reacts is to block vessels where it is aware of the disease, as english elm depends entirely on the  current annual ring if the tree blocks all the vessels in that ring every part of the tree above that point dies. Wych elm is not so dependent on the current annual ring so often when you cut a tree that has been infected you can see the results of previous infections as black tyloses the tree has produced to fill cells  in the rings

[Stubby]

3 hours ago, openspaceman said:

 

 

 

Chances are the root will survive after the top has died if it is cut low so suckers can get away till reinfected.

 

Typically english elm live till the phloem is thick enough to support the breeding  galleries after 15 to 25 years.

This is true . Most of the hedge row elm are from suckers and the actual root system can be yonks old . As you rightly  say they grow to about a foot or so diameter at the  fat end then expire only to shoot again with new suckers . 

[MattyF]

A few picks of the overall crown would give a better indication of what’s going on with the tree.