Bacterial Wetwood in this K Hornbeam?

[Scrogdor]

Just got this tree a couple weeks ago, I turned positions so the other side gets even sun and noticed this seeping fissure. Is this something to be alarmed about?

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Not sure. Is it possible to take a couple more photos including full tree that are well focused? …and add in the horticulture and conditions leading up to this situation.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Scrogdor]

Not sure. Is it possible to take a couple more photos including full tree that are well focused? …and add in the horticulture and conditions leading up to this situation.

Cheers
DSD sends

Unsure of its life before a couple weeks ago. It’s a tree I just bought from a nursery in Sacramento. I haven’t done anything to it

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Thanks!

Looks like a wound, or wood pecker smacked it.

Her’s a couple ideas.

Try spraying with 3% H2O2 and at the same time scrub the area with a toothbrush….(cover the media). Let it dry and see what this reveals.

If it’s sappy, use alcohol to remove it to find the source(s)

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Scrogdor]

Another thing i noticed is this 45 degree angle bulge with cracks just under the fissure. When I press on the bark around the fissure it’s soft. Was “oozing again” this morning. Color is like a dark brown that is coming out of it.

 

[0soyoung]

It may be diseased and require you to 'chop' the trunk to save the tree. But there won't be much left if that is the case.

I would start flaking off all the loose bark to see what is going on. When the cambium dies the cells rupture and release fluids. At this point the bark is usually 'gooey'. As this necrotic tissue desiccates, the bark will separate from the wood - one will perceive a hollow beneath that bark and eventually it cracks. When it is the result of simple mechanical damage, the cambium develops a new ectoderm and will tend to regrow over the exposed wood. If there is a pathogen, one will not find the regrowth 'lip' we are all so familiar with. If you don't, I suggest that you remove any abnormal tissue around the perimeter, then apply peroxide spray as @Deep Sea Diver advised and then cover the entire area with saran for the two or three weeks it takes for the cambium to develop a new ectoderm (alternatively, apply your favorite 'cut paste').

Of course, it is possible that you find the situation is not so simple and far more alarming. Removing all infected tissues is often the only way to cure tree maladies, meaning cut it off and throw it away or maybe even discard the entire thing to a good compost pile. Let's hope it is not this bad.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Spent a goodly amount of time researching this issue as Korean Hornbeams tend to be very hardy. Phytophthora ramorum first came up as a possible candidate. Yet that’s mainly an oak tree deal…

Later found a number of articles that mention various other species of Phytophthora affect both beeches and birches… and a hornbeam is in the birch family… there is a description remarkably similar to that which was described and shown in the photos above.

Phytophthora Bleeding Canker

Since this disease can girdle a tree some action should be considered. Some articles recommend cutting out the tissue and if there are definite margins, the disease is contained, yet if it’s spread into the cambium, that’s a different story and a trunk chop would be in order.

In any event agree with @Osoyoung, if it’s not localized a trunk chop might possibly contain the disease, but again the entire tree may need to be disposed of in worst case scenario.

Also this disease can spread to other trees by soil, water, tools and touch, not seeming by being near another tree.

So please be careful to disinfect all tools and hands… also properly dispose of any wood or debris cut off.

Regrets
DSD sends

​

 

[Scrogdor]

It may be diseased and require you to 'chop' the trunk to save the tree. But there won't be much left if that is the case.

I would start flaking off all the loose bark to see what is going on. When the cambium dies the cells rupture and release fluids. At this point the bark is usually 'gooey'. As this necrotic tissue desiccates, the bark will separate from the wood - one will perceive a hollow beneath that bark and eventually it cracks. When it is the result of simple mechanical damage, the cambium develops a new ectoderm and will tend to regrow over the exposed wood. If there is a pathogen, one will not find the regrowth 'lip' we are all so familiar with. If you don't, I suggest that you remove any abnormal tissue around the perimeter, then apply peroxide spray as @Deep Sea Diver advised and then cover the entire area with saran for the two or three weeks it takes for the cambium to develop a new ectoderm (alternatively, apply your favorite 'cut paste').

Of course, it is possible that you find the situation is not so simple and far more alarming. Removing all infected tissues is often the only way to cure tree maladies, meaning cut it off and throw it away or maybe even discard the entire thing to a good compost pile. Let's hope it is not this bad.

Yikes , should have spent more time looking at the tree when I got it last month. Wasn't aware of this though until I started watering it/ researching. I'll try to peel back some of the bark and see what's going on.

 

[Scrogdor]

It may be diseased and require you to 'chop' the trunk to save the tree. But there won't be much left if that is the case.

I would start flaking off all the loose bark to see what is going on. When the cambium dies the cells rupture and release fluids. At this point the bark is usually 'gooey'. As this necrotic tissue desiccates, the bark will separate from the wood - one will perceive a hollow beneath that bark and eventually it cracks. When it is the result of simple mechanical damage, the cambium develops a new ectoderm and will tend to regrow over the exposed wood. If there is a pathogen, one will not find the regrowth 'lip' we are all so familiar with. If you don't, I suggest that you remove any abnormal tissue around the perimeter, then apply peroxide spray as @Deep Sea Diver advised and then cover the entire area with saran for the two or three weeks it takes for the cambium to develop a new ectoderm (alternatively, apply your favorite 'cut paste').

Of course, it is possible that you find the situation is not so simple and far more alarming. Removing all infected tissues is often the only way to cure tree maladies, meaning cut it off and throw it away or maybe even discard the entire thing to a good compost pile. Let's hope it is not this bad.

Well...... The situation is pretty dire, there is soft mush wood with black borders that spirals all the way up the tree to the apex. Just a large spiraling cavern of mush wood. It doesn't appear I'll just be able to cut away the infected tissue without losing a significant portion of the the main trunk.

The good news, is that it appears the tree has walled off everything below that bulge.

 

[Scrogdor]

Performed a chop, sprayed with peroxide, sealed the chop, also watered the soil of said tree and all surrounding trees with peroxide mix. Used peroxide/alcohol to clean all tools used. I guess what I learned is to investigate fissures in tree bark before I buy, even if they're small. Hopefully, I can salvage this tree. Wouldn't be surprised to see some serious dieback where that chop was made though. Better than it oozing more spores risking my other trees. I'll probably do the next few waterings with some peroxide, then again in the spring for this tree.

 

[BobbyLane]

'Any event that occurs to the tree, as long as it doesnt kill it, is an opportunity for a design change' -Dan robinson

 

[Scrogdor]

Forgot to take more pictures, but here are a couple that show basically what I was able to push a screw driver through under the cambium. I was attempting to Dremel the rot away until I realized it wrapped all the way around.