oak, with smelly pool of sap at base

[janey]

I've never seen anything similar to that amount of gunk (technical term!) from a tree. It's really hard to make a suggestion without actually having a good poke around on site, even though the piccies are pretty good.

 

Further to my slightly flippant response above , when I saw the picture showing the base of the tree my instant thought was that it might be some sort of midden / latrine (badger?) and the grubs were feeding from that and not anything to do with the tree.

 

Just an idea

[travis]

Janey, i know what you mean about the badger latrine. but i'm almost confident that the gunk is coming from the trunk. if i go poking at the trunk, i will be making the problem worse ??

i've shifted a bit of the gravel and there are DEEP cracks in the soil.

i thinks its very dry. just like my garden. we have clay soil here.

do you think there is a chance of the tree falling over if the ground remains soo dry ?

t

[Bundle 2]

It kinda looks damaged to me ...going from your post image of the base?

Poking at the wood/trunk certainly wont solve much and just might make it worse!Perhaps a more "genteel" excavation of the affected area..? The tree is stressed and so less able to mobilise systemic defenses. It is a bit the blind leading the blind innit?

Too bad the owner is not more amenable to your efforts and concern Travis. In fact, pea shingle and the geocloth you describe should both work in favour of the tree from a dehydration point of view....

I doubt it will fall over .

Watering it is good!

 

Tim

Edited July 9, 2010 by Bundle 2

[arb culture]

Travis, have you any photos of the canopy, foliage, shoot extension etc?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

your description of the butterflies drinking at the flow is indicative of fermentation proscesses going on, this tree is a dead tree, this is way past help my friend.

 

The tree is being digested, or at least the living cambium is, much bugs and beasties will be drawn to the rich boozey liquid, ive seen it before and its amazing how many insects will arrive and take a sip.

 

i once did a dead willow that was still bubbling at various lesions about its form, the liquid was fermenting rapidly and bubbling away. Armillaria had already crept in and the hornets butterflies and beasties where having a merry old time.

 

i wouldnt waste too much effort in this one fella, sorry.

[travis]

i will post a photo of the foliage. to me the leaves look healthy. considering the drougt.

has anyone had many trees falling over yet. i know some will be suffering in sandy soil.

[D Mc]

your description of the butterflies drinking at the flow is indicative of fermentation proscesses going on, this tree is a dead tree, this is way past help my friend.... i wouldnt waste too much effort in this one fella, sorry.

 

Hama, I find this blanket diagnosis of the fermentation type fluxing to be more than a bit disturbing. How did you come up with this? I know things can be quite different in different countries, and this is why I ask.

 

Here, fluxing is "classic" Sinclair, Diseases of Trees and Shrubs, be it bacterial slime flux, associated with wetwood (foul odor):

 

"...the anaerobic or hypoxic nature of most wetwood and the toxicity of some of the bacterial metabolites in it prevent or retard decay of wetwood by fungi in living trees."

 

or alcoholic, frothy flux, fermented and pleasant smelling, not associated with wetwood:

 

"It occurs where microorganisms ferment sap in creacks and other wounds in the bark and cambial region....often emits a fermentative odor, and persists only a short time in summer."

 

A seasonal condition and can be associated with stressed trees. But is by no means a death sentence here.

 

Are things really that different over there?

 

Dave

[janey]

your description of the butterflies drinking at the flow is indicative of fermentation proscesses going on, this tree is a dead tree, this is way past help my friend.

 

QUOTE]

 

? Butterflies' will drink sap, juice, water, blood, urine... pretty much most liquids. I don't think you can use this as a diagnostic that the tree is in terminal decline.

 

If the exudates are fermenting, as you suggest, then surely the yeasts causing this can just as easily be external to the tree, rather than internal?