I have three large cottonwoods near my house and all three have what looks like dark, oozing "sores" on the trunk. They go all the way up. Is this a treatable disease? Am attaching photos so you can see the sizes and the location of whatever this is. Thanks. I love these trees!
More information: these trees were damaged in Storm Atlas, October 2013. We had a certified arborist come in the next year to trim dead and dying branches. Also had some trimming done because the trees are so huge they were hanging over the house. Last year, more trimming done by the arborist as more branches were dying. He wondered if the trimming had invited in a virus, fungus or bacteria, but wasn't sure. Originally, four cottonwoods, now down to three. Dropped the fourth one just the other day due to so many branches were simply dead. Height? 80 feet? maybe 100? Big fellows. Common in my neighborhood, in the country, but others don't seem affected by this weeping sort of sore.