Cottony Scale care on Autumn Blaze Maple - Ask Extension
I have a 6-7 year old Autumn Blaze Maple street tree. It has been in the ground at my address for nearly 5 years now. It has contracted what I belie...
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Cottony Scale care on Autumn Blaze Maple #651796
Asked June 16, 2020, 2:54 PM EDT
I have a 6-7 year old Autumn Blaze Maple street tree. It has been in the ground at my address for nearly 5 years now. It has contracted what I believe to be Cottony Scale for at least 3 of the years at my address and maybe more. I wrap the tree trunk during the winters to avoid winter sunscald, but the trunk is exhibiting nasty signs of distress, and the tree wrap has only been of approximately 3 weeks. I don't recall seeing this bark distress when unwrapping the trunk after the winter.
I have sprayed with a solution of Neem, Tea Tree Oils and water, but it comes back year after year.
What can I do to get rid of this problem, short or getting rid of the tree?
El Paso County Colorado
Expert Response
Hello,
thank you for your question and sending in pictures.
I believe that you have a couple different things going on with your tree. Usually Autumn Blaze Maple is less susceptible to Cottony Maple Scale then Silver Maple but I believe that is what I see on the branch picture (right). This kind of scale effects the twigs and branches of a tree.
Unfortunately I am not able to get a clear picture of the trunk once I magnify your photo since the focus seems to be on the background. Would it be possible to send in another clear closeup of the trunk? Send a picture of the lower trunk and upper area with focus on the lesions. How big is the diameter of the tree trunk?
Wrapping the tree to prevent suncald in the winter is a great idea in a very sunny and hot location and southwest exposure . Sometimes if the wrap is still on once it gets warmer there could be insect or fungal damage.
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/weeds-cultural-problems/2111-sunscald-trees/
The Maple Scale usually doesnt cause a lot of damage. Sometimes just washing it off with a strong stream of water can help.
I will take a look at the next set of pictures and hopefully will be able to see whats going on with the trunk.
thank you for your question and sending in pictures.
I believe that you have a couple different things going on with your tree. Usually Autumn Blaze Maple is less susceptible to Cottony Maple Scale then Silver Maple but I believe that is what I see on the branch picture (right). This kind of scale effects the twigs and branches of a tree.
Unfortunately I am not able to get a clear picture of the trunk once I magnify your photo since the focus seems to be on the background. Would it be possible to send in another clear closeup of the trunk? Send a picture of the lower trunk and upper area with focus on the lesions. How big is the diameter of the tree trunk?
Wrapping the tree to prevent suncald in the winter is a great idea in a very sunny and hot location and southwest exposure . Sometimes if the wrap is still on once it gets warmer there could be insect or fungal damage.
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/weeds-cultural-problems/2111-sunscald-trees/
The Maple Scale usually doesnt cause a lot of damage. Sometimes just washing it off with a strong stream of water can help.
I will take a look at the next set of pictures and hopefully will be able to see whats going on with the trunk.
The CIRCUMFERENCE (all the way around the base of the trunk) of this tree is about 8.5/9 inches.
This tree is situated in my front yard that gets full SW winter sun, Mark Phalen from Phalen Gardens in COS recommended wrapping young trees here in Wolf Ranch in NE COS. I may have been a bit late pulling the tree wrap this year because I wasn't feeling well much of May.
As for the trunk damage, it starts within a couple of inches of the ground and runs up the trunk nearly 32-36 inches. If you look at the closeup pic, you will see that the bark is starting to split in many of the scarred areas.
This tree is situated in my front yard that gets full SW winter sun, Mark Phalen from Phalen Gardens in COS recommended wrapping young trees here in Wolf Ranch in NE COS. I may have been a bit late pulling the tree wrap this year because I wasn't feeling well much of May.
As for the trunk damage, it starts within a couple of inches of the ground and runs up the trunk nearly 32-36 inches. If you look at the closeup pic, you will see that the bark is starting to split in many of the scarred areas.
I also wanted to mention, that I think this is the 3rd season out of 4 that I have seen this situation or had a problem with this tree (went in the ground Labor Day 2015).
The first Summer (2016) (as I recall) by mid/late July, the leaves were turning yellow and falling off. I assumed heat stress, but could not understand why, as I have drip irrigation at the trunk and was watering regularly.
I am not sure if I looked at the tree to see if it had the same conditions on the branches as this year, but I have looked for it since and this is at least the second year I have seen what was in the first set of pics.
It seems to be a recurring theme on this tree, regardless of what I try to date. That is why I am asking the experts.
The first Summer (2016) (as I recall) by mid/late July, the leaves were turning yellow and falling off. I assumed heat stress, but could not understand why, as I have drip irrigation at the trunk and was watering regularly.
I am not sure if I looked at the tree to see if it had the same conditions on the branches as this year, but I have looked for it since and this is at least the second year I have seen what was in the first set of pics.
It seems to be a recurring theme on this tree, regardless of what I try to date. That is why I am asking the experts.
One more thing, tree came from Harding's Nursery in late summer of 2015, installed by Timberline Landscaping. I was not watching when they were installing. I have no idea if they removed the banding or bagging around the root ball or not. You may have a better history of either of these vendors.
I notice when reading your attachment the leaf damage and then when flipping through the photos from last week, I had a leaf pic that shows some damage already as well, so I attached for your consideration.
Thank you for the follow up information and the trunk close up picture.
The Cottony Maple Scale will survive over winter and pester the tree over and over as you can read in the previous attachment.
The trunk I believe is showing extensive canker damage from a fungal disease, possible tubercularia or nectria which could have been exacerbated through our tough winter temperatures this past winter. These kind of fungal diseases will usually attack stressed trees. But you would see these cankers on branches as well.
Since the damage is so extensive I would consider consulting an arborist that can evaluate your maple and give you suggestions for treatment. This tree has had a lot going for a while between the cankers and the scale. I believe a professional will give you holistic approach advice that might help you save your tree.
The Cottony Maple Scale will survive over winter and pester the tree over and over as you can read in the previous attachment.
The trunk I believe is showing extensive canker damage from a fungal disease, possible tubercularia or nectria which could have been exacerbated through our tough winter temperatures this past winter. These kind of fungal diseases will usually attack stressed trees. But you would see these cankers on branches as well.
Since the damage is so extensive I would consider consulting an arborist that can evaluate your maple and give you suggestions for treatment. This tree has had a lot going for a while between the cankers and the scale. I believe a professional will give you holistic approach advice that might help you save your tree.
Thank you for your time, preliminary eval and advice. I will reach out to an arborist for additional assistance.
is any of this likely to spread to neighbor's trees of a similar type? I don't want to knowingly be a bad neighbor.
is any of this likely to spread to neighbor's trees of a similar type? I don't want to knowingly be a bad neighbor.
Any bacterial or fungal disease can spread via rain, wind and insects.
Im glad to hear you are consulting a professional. Treatment for multiple problems could interfere with each other and make things worse. A professional can evaluate in person to have a guaranteed diagnosis especially on the trunk cankers.
Im glad to hear you are consulting a professional. Treatment for multiple problems could interfere with each other and make things worse. A professional can evaluate in person to have a guaranteed diagnosis especially on the trunk cankers.
