Your photo is blurry and we are not able to clearly see what is going on with your witch hazel. 
From what we can see it looks like an old wound, possibly from buck rub in the past or an old canker disease.

If you can send a new, clearly focused photo we are happy to take a look.


Christine

Hi Christine,

Per my recent message, here’s a video in case it’s helpful.  Thanks so much, Christine

Hi, 

Do you see any sawdust looking material coming from the dark spots on the bark or at the base of the tree? Our pathologist doesn't recognizes the symptoms as a type of disease but it looks like some of the areas have weeping sap so we are considering borers. 

The larger wound looks like an old injury from possibly an animal, or cicada damage that didn't heal over right away but it looks like it is forming some callous tissue and looks dry at this point. 

If you take your finger nail or the tip of pruners and lightly pick at the areas on the bark that look dark, does it seems like there is a hole?  It could be that the tree is stressed and borers moved in as a secondary issue. 

If it is borers there isn't anything that can be done to either save the tree or treat it. Monitor for more symptoms and water as needed through the fall. 

Let us know what else you may discover and send in additional photos if you do. 

Emily

A certified arborist or licensed tree expert (they have essentially the same level of training) might be able to diagnose it, though they are probably more experienced with tree issues than shrubs. If this is caused by a canker infection or insect activity, there is no treatment since the damage has been done and the wood will either gradually cover-over the injuries or not. There is no topical sealant that should be applied (it will not help the healing process and might actually make things worse), so the plant just needs time to recover if it is capable of doing so. Making sure it gets watered when needed if dry weather spells continue and protected from deer (since it sounds like they may visit the area) is the best approach for now. If the plant is not grafted, then worst-case, if the top growth dies back, it still may sucker and produce new stems from the root system, assuming the roots remain healthy, which will allow the plant to regenerate. (If it is grafted, this could still happen, but it won't be the same species or cultivar of witchhazel that was planted. If this is a straight-species native witchhazel, Hamemalis virginiana, then it's probably not grafted.)

Miri

The biggest risk from deer is the rubbing of antlers on the bark in autumn, more so than eating the foliage, and while the injuries pictured don't look like the classic "buck rub" scraping or fraying of bark, a future occurrence of that issue could cause serious or fatal damage to the plant. If you think it's a risk, then encircling the plant with a wire cage/fencing might help discourage bucks from trying to use it as a "scratching post" for their antlers, which they do in late summer or autumn as they scrape the velvet off of mature antler growth. It's possible the plant's main trunk/stems are too short or slender for that now, but may be a consideration for the future.

When watering, make sure the plant needs irrigation before watering on a schedule or regular frequency, especially as the soil is cooling and water use by plants has lessened this time of year. (Any time of year, feel the soil about five or six inches deep in the root zone and water only once it's become somewhat dry to the touch at that depth. If still damp, watering can wait.) In the wild, witchhazel seem to grow in very well-drained or even drier woods compared to lower areas near streams or sources of consistent moisture.

Miri