Weeping Trunk of a mature Beech!

[Cybercarter]

After a significant clear out of a very overgrown border I discovered one of my mature beech tree trunks has become pretty unsightly I think possibly due to collective standing water in a lower v shaped branch.

 

The mature garden beech trees were professionally lopped two years ago and appear to have responded well so you can imagine my utter shock when I discovered the condition of this particular trunk.

 

Can anyone please advise if this will eventually lead to die back and if there is anything I can do to help the tree?

 

Please see attached photo.

 

Any feedback would be appreciated.

[ScottF]

It's a little hard to see from your image, but that does look like a exudation from the bark, rather than simply persistent draining of water from a point of accretion.

 

Are there any cankers or small areas of bark death on the stem? I apreciate this is the wrong time of year, but do you remember what condition the crown of this tree looked like last Autumn?

[Cybercarter]

Thank you for your response. I'm not sure about areas of bark death until I have a closer inspection.

 

The attached picture shows another area of the tree which is not looking so well.

 

I will let you know if there is any bark death later when I've been out to inspect. If there is, how and what is happening?

 

PS: I can't say that I noticed anything untowards in the crown last year

Edited February 21, 2014 by Cybercarter

[David Humphries]

The second image appears to show white patches on the bark.

 

Beech can be host to Cryptococcus fagisuga (beech scale insect) which feed on the surface bark opening up small cracks which can then be infected by Neonectria faginata (an ascomycete fungi) together they form a complex known as beech bark disease BBD

 

That may be the cause of the bark condition in the first image

 

 

 

.

[Adam M]

Strouts & Winter suggest scrubbing the fluffy white bits with a mild detergent periodically. The tree could miraculously overcome this. How is the drainage around it? Drought (yeah not this winter maybe lol) can compound issues with beech bark disease. Perhaps you could lay down a 4" deep layer of mulch (preferably hardwood chip) underneath the entire crown. This will help moderate water loss from the soil through evaporation as well as give a slow-release of nutrients, control of weeds and more importantly assisting the development of myccorhiza (also assisting with water and nutrient availability and uptake). If you choose to mulch, leave a small buffer zone of a few inches around the root collar and any significant surface roots.