Corkscrew Willow borers?

11 years ago

Hi there. We have a 5 year old corkscrew willow that started as a tiny 'stick' and is now a huge 25+ foot tree. It has always seemed super healthy and robust.

This spring, it has not sprouted any new leaves or buds (not one, anywhere), and we are concerned it has somehow died over the winter (in Colorado).

Finally finding time to look at it today, it is absolutely covered with tiny/small red spots (assumedly sap?) over just about every inch of its exposed bark (literally must be a million of them). It looks like it has the measles/chicken pox. I have posted some pictures.

Are these likely holes from borers that have then oozed sap? Or something else? Has anyone ever seen something like this and/or know what it is? It really stinks to possibly lose this tree. Does anyone see any hope? Thanks for any advice.

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Comments (3)

wisconsitom
11 years ago
Not 100 % sure, but that exudate belies an infection-bacterial or fungal-of some type. Willows not long-lived plants. In my world view, not worth heroic efforts at saving, nor is it likely to be possible to do so.

+oM
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
grew past 25 feet in 5 years ... and i can see fencing etc ...

willow is not a great tree.. to have hanging over your house or anything of value .... can we see a pic of the whole situation??? .. we usually call them park or golf course trees ... in the wide open ...

and for sure.. you dont want one that might be diseased .... as it is not a very strong wood ... and when it start dropping pieces.. they usually arent little pieces ...

i probably wouldnt spend a lot of time or money on 'fixing' this thing ... i would be more in the orbit of removal.. but i would like to see a pic ...

ken
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olreader
11 years ago
I am also in Colorado and have two similar corkscrew willows, one about 15' and the other 20'. No problems in the last 5 years we have lived here. I trimmed off some branches when they were flattened by an early snow several years ago, and also trimmed to keep the trees small, but didn't do major trimming last year and none this winter. no problems last summer.

This spring, the smaller one is completely dead on top and is sprouting a few suckers from the very base. The larger one is 3/4 dead and sprouting suckers all around the trunk and major limbs.

I think it was the cold snap the second week of November that killed our willows and many other trees. A very warm fall, almost never below freezing, and it went from 60 degrees one night to 16 the next to -7 the third night and stayed below freezing day and night for a week.