Disease ID for a Silver Maple - Ask Extension
I have a young Silver Maple that looks like it has some kind of red slime fungus growing on its trunk. I’m curious about what disease it is and what...
Knowledgebase
Disease ID for a Silver Maple #805815
Asked August 11, 2022, 2:55 PM EDT
I have a young Silver Maple that looks like it has some kind of red slime fungus growing on its trunk. I’m curious about what disease it is and what action I should take (if in any) to treat/care for it.
Photo attached.
Pulaski County Kentucky
Expert Response
The larger issue is the gaping wound. A wound that large will inevitably invite bad fungi that will cause internal rot. Regardless, and unfortunately, there is little you can do to help.
Anything to help the overall growing conditions will help the tree, e.g. watering in times of extreme drought, application of nitrogen around Thanksgiving, making good pruning cuts, keeping mulch around the base of the tree, etc. We don't recommend applying anything to the wound.
Silver maple is an extremely brittle tree but can take a lot of abuse without outright dying. However, if rot fungi progress, the stability of the tree may be compromised.
Hope this helps.
Anything to help the overall growing conditions will help the tree, e.g. watering in times of extreme drought, application of nitrogen around Thanksgiving, making good pruning cuts, keeping mulch around the base of the tree, etc. We don't recommend applying anything to the wound.
Silver maple is an extremely brittle tree but can take a lot of abuse without outright dying. However, if rot fungi progress, the stability of the tree may be compromised.
Hope this helps.
