Realizing that one of your trees is losing its bark can be distressing since it affects the plant's appearance. Unfortunately, bark loss can indicate ill tree health, but not in every situation. So what causes a tree to lose its bark?
As a top-rated provider of professional tree services in Charlotte, NC, Monster Tree Service of South Charlotte often diagnoses and treats bark loss issues. Consult our guide to learn more about this common problem and its causes.
Is Bark Loss Normal for Trees?
Sometimes, trees shed their bark during natural growth cycles. Some species lose big chunks of bark as they grow. The difference between a normal bark-shedding process and an unnatural one is the presence of new, healthy tree tissues beneath the peeling outer layer.
Some trees are more likely than others to lose their bark naturally, including species like:
Birch
Sycamore
Ash
Silver maple
PIne
Reasons for Tree Bark Loss
Suppose you're caring for your trees properly with routine trimming and pruning, yet they're still experiencing bark loss. If it's not natural bark shedding, something is likely wrong with the tree.
What causes a tree to lose its bark? Learn the common reasons below.
Impact Damage
Trees can sustain injuries from physical damage. Since they can't regrow the bark they lose, trees become more vulnerable to insects, fungal growth, and disease.
If somebody accidentally harms a tree with a lawnmower, string trimmer, or other mechanical equipment that causes impact damage, bark loss can occur. You can prevent this problem by adding a layer of mulch around the tree to create a visible barrier.
Illness and Disease
Tree diseases like fungal infections and cankers can cause bark loss. Infections attack the tree's inner tissues and cause its bark to wither and die. Cankers produce dark red, brown, or black lesions on tree bark.
Extreme Temperature Fluctuations
Frost crack is a common problem for trees experiencing extreme temperature fluctuations, especially those with thin bark. It usually happens when a freezing cold night follows a warm, sunny day.
Frost crack can occur any time of the year. It's a type of temperature-related stress that produces vertical cracks and bark loss on a tree's south and southwest sides.
Sunscald is another temperature-related problem. When unusually warm temperatures prematurely awaken a dormant tree, cold temperatures can kill the newly formed tissue, causing bark peeling similar to sunburn.
Insect Infestations
Burrowing, wood-sucking, and defoliating insects can cause significant bark loss. The most common culprits include:
Aphids
Japanese beetles
Spider mites
Elm bark beetles
Call Monster Tree Service of South Charlotte To Combat Tree Bark Loss
What causes a tree to lose its bark? Our professional crew at Monster Tree Service of South Charlotte has the tools, training, and industry expertise to uncover the root of any problem affecting a tree's health and appearance.
From treating sunburn and environmental stress on trees to knowing how to fix pruning mistakes on your trees, our licensed and certified professionals can do it all. We guarantee your satisfaction with our professional, comprehensible tree care services—call (704) 741-4432 today for a free estimate.