Is your tree bark falling off?
Now that we’re reaching the tail end of October, you can definitely begin to tell it’s autumn. Well, one should hope, at least. Despite unseasonably warm temperatures, the leaves are falling off your trees, and it’s more than likely they’re not alone. Is your tree bark falling off? If so, why might that be?
What Causes Tree Bark Shedding?
Just like people and pets go through regular cycles of shedding old hair follicles or skin cells, trees will occasionally shed their bark. It’s perfectly normal for a tree to shed its bark. For sycamore, silver maple, and birch trees, it only makes them lovelier. Oak, pine, and ash are a few species for which this is different – old bark gives way to new growth underneath. When you see fresh bark that is healthy-looking, your tree is fine. But here are some instances in which tree bark falling off is a bad sign:
- First Frost: Now that the weather is starting to cool off, you can smell winter on the distant horizon. After the first frost of the new cold season, some bark will start falling off. You’ll notice that the bark only falls on certain sides of the tree – particularly the south or southwest face of the tree. Rapid changes in temperature can also stress the tree out.
- Heat Damage: Much like people and pets, trees can suffer heat stroke. Heat damage, much like frost, can expose the tree bark down to the core of the tree.
- Sick Tree: It’s also possible that your tree is sick, and that’s why its bark is sloughing off.
Does This Mean My Tree is Dying?
Unfortunately, there’s no straight answer to this question. Again, if your tree looks healthy, you don’t need to worry. It could just be growing pains. But if the weather has hurt your tree in some way, you might have to save it.
What Else Can I Do?
Inspect your tree for signs of disease or pest infestation. Just in case these conditions exist, you’ll need to call on your tree care experts at Nelson Tree Specialist!
Tree Care for Every Tree from Nelson Tree Specialist
Nelson Tree Specialist provides specialty arborist services, tree crane services, tree care services, and dead tree removal services. We are well known for our top-notch skills and professionalism. We are members of the International Society of Arboriculture and we are considered certified arborists. We are also an accredited business through the Better Business Bureau and we have great reviews through Angie’s List. To find out how we can help your trees, whether they are exotic and strange or normal and plan, give us a call at (301) 854-2218 (Washington, D.C.) or (202) 909-5662 (Baltimore) or visit us online. For more interesting tree facts and tips, follow us on social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.