I just noticed yesterday that my large Red Oak is cracked and has a large section of bark that has pulled away from the tree trunk. It has been a hea...
Knowledgebase
30 YEAR OLD RED OAK LOSING BARK #738287
Asked March 09, 2021, 4:50 PM EST
I just noticed yesterday that my large Red Oak is cracked and has a large section of bark that has pulled away from the tree trunk. It has been a healthy tree up until now that I could tell. No insects, no dead or rotten branches, healthy foliage, bushy. I even trimmed away a couple of large limbs last year that I sealed with pruning seal and had starting growing over quickly. So I'm trying to figure out if it could have been the freeze. Worst of all, I'm assuming it is probably going to die at this point. But I did want to get a professional opinion as to possible cause.
I had a landscape company for several years and am somewhat familiar with normal growth patterns or damage and disease. But this one has me baffled since it seemed to appear so suddenly.
Thank you.
Travis CountyTexas
Expert Response
I have to ask if the split is on the south or southwest portion of the trunk & gets the hot afternoon sun. If so, then a question posed to Neil Sperry in 2017 may provide the answer. I have included the link here:
Since it did occur suddenly and has been soon after the severe cold, it very possibly could be a frost crack. (Also known as freeze crack or winter crack.) Not common in Central Texas since our winters are relatively mild, but it is a distinct possibility.