Any ideas what causes this?

[Nick Connell]

Any ideas why this Silver Birch has gone funny?

[Jesse]

Kids or a kid with an almost tourettes like habit has been peeling the bark over a number of years.

[Nick Connell]

Will it kill it like ringing the bark on other trees?

[MATTMOSS]

Banksy has painted Norway maple bark on it to confuse us.

[Treemoose]

This might help. http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-chat/76798-birch-graft.html

[Jesse]

  Nick Connell said:

Will it kill it like ringing the bark on other trees?

 

No its only superficial , like pealing sun burnt skin, but scares the stem. its only my take on it, and dont worry, Birch are not long living trees, pioneer species , grow fast , short life, a tree of that size would be mature, i would worry less about its bark, but more about how in a built up environment its maintained, best to leave alone, don't like to be reduced. 65 years thats it, firewood.

[Jesse]

  Jesse said:

No its only superficial , like pealing sun burnt skin, but scares the stem. its only my take on it, and dont worry, Birch are not long living trees, pioneer species , grow fast , short life, a tree of that size would be mature, i would worry less about its bark, but more about how in a built up environment its maintained, best to leave alone, don't like to be reduced. 65 years thats it, firewood.

 

Should have said, the age of the estate is the age of the tree, take that number off 65, whats left is the balance of its life, dont loose any sleep.

[woodyguy]

Weird that the same tree has been posted with the same question twice. Is that a record?

[Nick Connell]

It must be a popular tree!

[treeman]

Nah, it's def a birch!