River Birch cavity between trunks - Ask Extension
Hi,
I have a River Birch in my front yard. It is about 40 years old (maybe more). It has what I would call two trunks. Where these "connect"...
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River Birch cavity between trunks #817583
Asked December 16, 2022, 11:09 AM EST
Hi,
I have a River Birch in my front yard. It is about 40 years old (maybe more). It has what I would call two trunks. Where these "connect" there is a cavity about 35cm deep. It fills with water and debris and, if not cleaned out, the debris rots. I'm afraid I may be damaging the trunks when I clean the debris out. I try to be careful but it is difficult.
Is there something with which I could fill this cavity?
Thanks, Bill
Macomb County Michigan
Expert Response
Hi Bill,
While we used to recommend filling cavities in (or between) trees we no longer do as it can lead to larger issues. In this case, filling the hole could trap moisture, fungus, or debris and lead to faster rot than if it's left open to the elements. River birch is often multi-trunked and cavities between trunks is common. In the forest, these pools of water would support insect wildlife or provide water for wildlife.
https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/factsheet/pdf/fs_beni.pdf
So, best to leave the cavity open. And maybe only carefully clean it out once a year, if at all.
I hope this helps. If you have any questions, please do feel free to ask.
Thank you,
-Julie
While we used to recommend filling cavities in (or between) trees we no longer do as it can lead to larger issues. In this case, filling the hole could trap moisture, fungus, or debris and lead to faster rot than if it's left open to the elements. River birch is often multi-trunked and cavities between trunks is common. In the forest, these pools of water would support insect wildlife or provide water for wildlife.
https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/factsheet/pdf/fs_beni.pdf
So, best to leave the cavity open. And maybe only carefully clean it out once a year, if at all.
I hope this helps. If you have any questions, please do feel free to ask.
Thank you,
-Julie
