Keep or Replace Rising Sun Redbud
Q: I have a several-year-old redbud that has damage to the trunk, and it is struggling as a result. The bark of the lower trunk is split from below ground level up three feet. The split is three inches wide at that point. I can see small holes in the wood and bark, but other than a few ants, I can’t seem to find any other insects. At one time, the trunk had two limbs coming out, but one of them died and we removed it. Any ideas?
A: If I were a mean person, I would say ‘Enjoy your tree while it’s there because the damage to the trunk is so severe that the tree will not be able to recover. I predict a slow and lonely death.’ But since I’m not a mean person, let’s figure out what went wrong. To me, it sounds like there was damage originating from the root area. Maybe a broken root contributed to bark damage above or the burlap might not have been removed from the root ball or the root ball may have gotten dry. The holes you see are from wood borers of some kind. They are not the problem. They just took advantage of the weakened tree. There’s nothing you can do except enjoy the tree as long as it contributes beauty to your landscape.
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