Maple Tree Limb "wound" question - what to do - Ask Extension
I planted an Autumn Blaze Maple the fall of 2015. It lost a pretty big limb during one of the summer storms. The "wound" is 22 inches long...
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Maple Tree Limb "wound" question - what to do #885728
Asked September 18, 2024, 3:28 PM EDT
I planted an Autumn Blaze Maple the fall of 2015. It lost a pretty big limb during one of the summer storms. The "wound" is 22 inches long and about 12 inches wide. I see no bugs on the wound and no sap either. I am wondering if there is something I should do to the wound in ensure the longevity of the tree.
Photos are attached.
Washington County Minnesota
Expert Response
Snip off any rough edges on the wound area and monitor it the next few years. Do NOT paint anything on the wound. It will block the oxygen that is required for a callus to form on the bark edges of the wound area. If the callus forms, it means that the tree is "walling off" the injury and will continue to grow. The fact that the break has gone so deeply into the heartwood may have weakened the structural strength of the tree somewhat. See these web pages.
https://www.purdue.edu/fnr/extension/tree-wounds-and-healing/
https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/tree-wounds-should-they-be-repaired
https://www.purdue.edu/fnr/extension/tree-wounds-and-healing/
https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/tree-wounds-should-they-be-repaired
