Possibly a disease

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

I posted a couple days ago about a tree I have that is hollow for some reason. I call it my Zombie orange tree. I just realized that several of my other trees have exhibited similar features, albeit more minor. One of which is a large grapefruit tree, one is an even bigger pepper tree, and the last and most minor case is my HUGE male mulberry tree. I'm not sure if the last two are the same because we had the pepper tree removed because it was so damaged and the mulberry tree's case is so mild that it might be common splintering. In all likelihood, the grapefruit tree might just have pests, but both the grapefruit tree and the pepper tree had a large gap in the stump. These are some pictures of the grapefruit tree. Please tell me if you need more information/pictures. I have many trees and I'd be very upset if I lost any more trees.

this is in the top of the trunk, where the main branches split from

this is a weird lump that I thought looked suspicious. It has been this size as long as I can remember.

this is the hole in the side of the trunk. It seems to have decaying matter in it.

this is the large mass of sap that made me think about this. There seems to be more sap after rain.

closeup of a small glob of sap above the large glob of sap.

If you actually read down to this point, I want to thank you for being kind and patient enough to do so.

Featured Answer

sequoiadendron_4

11 years ago

I guess you don't have to be told but that tree's got some problems. It's tough to make out what the first pic is but the second looks to be a gall. I think those are caused by an insect or mites eating the flesh. The third pic looks like callous wood closing over a wound that has been munched on by wood eating insects. Once the wound closes, that should be the last you see of that unless an infection got in there. I could be wrong but I wonder if your second fourth pic is an example of bacterial wetwood aka slime flux. It's a bacterial infection that causes the tree to leak water. It's also tough to make out the fifth pic but that might be a canker. It definitely would seem your tree has many ailments that may shorten it's life.

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Comments (10)

Turtleturtlemeow
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Thanks. It never seems to heal. Do you have any ideas on how to fix these problems?
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Turtleturtlemeow
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
It also has citrus leaf miner, I just realized.
sequoiadendron_4
11 years ago
I'm not sure what you can do. If you treat the tree with a systemic insecticide, that will KO the leafminer and hopefully whatever is causing the gall. Those chemicals will get into the fruit though and likely make it inedible for a season or two. I think an arborist might be able to do an antibiotic injection for the bacterial wetwood but I'm not sure about that. But the canker might be a problem if that is actually what it is. The best course of action you could take would be to get a couple different experienced arborists in to look at your tree and suggest a course of action. Be prepared to drop some change though if the tree really is that important to save.
Turtleturtlemeow thanked sequoiadendron_4
Turtleturtlemeow
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you. Mostly we don't eat the fruit so it shouldn't be a problem. I was just looking at pictures of slime flux and it seems to be more flat on the pictures I'm seeing. I don't know if you can tell on the picture, but it is about an inch and a half thick. I really know nothing about plants so thank-you for being so helpful.
sequoiadendron_4
11 years ago
Well I'm not 100% sure if it's slime flux either but every case is different and it can cause sap to push out. Either way, I think you have a variety of challenging ailments to this tree and it will definitely be difficult to keep it alive for a long term period of time.
Turtleturtlemeow thanked sequoiadendron_4
Turtleturtlemeow
Original Author
11 years ago
Turtleturtlemeow
Original Author
11 years ago
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
you tree is rotting from the inside out ... there is nothing you can do about it ... period ...

they are dying in tree years ... which can be a long time.. in our instant gratification world ...

i would not waste money or time on treating them for anything ...

i would say.. if you want fruit.. plant some new trees ... but you dont care ...

which only reinforces how treatment really isnt necessary ... on some level.. it might be pollution to use chemicals in this situation ... though i have no problem with holistic solutions or prayer ...

BTW ... i am never really concerned with leaf issues in august .. on a deciduous tree ... they fall off .. so clean them up when they do.. and dont worry about it ...

ken
Turtleturtlemeow thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
Turtleturtlemeow
Original Author
11 years ago
The mulberry tree is rotten in the middle of the big branches.