I think it's ok.

Yes it's too close although not as close at the bottom, which is where you really need to leave some tissue - hardest for the tree to heal over that location. However, these trees (at least around here) are not super touchy and aren't prone to any diseases. Somebody in your area should chime in with any local issues.

Thanks so much for your comments. It was hard to tell where the
collar was. As you can see form the branch above, the collars are rather
shallow and the rough bark obscures it a bit for dummies like me who
forget the collar rule. :-/

There's another sweetgum about 35' to the left that is in decline, but none of the couple of arborists that I've had over for other things were sure what had gotten to it. If anyone in the area has any suggestions for coating the wound,
or leaving it alone, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

It looks like you cut all of the collar away, and then some - there should have been no cutting into the bark for instance. But all you can do now is watch how the tree deals with it, see if a cavity starts to form.

I think if it were something like a birch that is notorious for such problems you'd be in trouble. These are very vigorous trees that contain phenolic resins that probably help prevent decay. (the "liquid amber" of the scientific name) I feel like I seldom encounter ones that are unsound from decay as so often happens w/maples or certain oaks around here (I'm in MD too) Anyhow, it's not like there's anything you can do now to fix it, anyhow!

I would also try to get that bowed branch which looks like it's going to a problem in the future.

Thanks for the additional info. The picture probably makes it look worse than it is. On the good side, I'd say the stump is 1.25" out from the trunk. At the worse spot, it's about 1/2".

Okay...so no "medicine" or sealer on the area where the trunk bark is damaged?

Bowed branch....which pic?

Okay...so no "medicine" or sealer on the area where the trunk bark is damaged?

==>> absolutely NOT .. you arent allowed to play god.. and dream up ways to help a tree heal ... just leave it alone ... let nature take its course ... anything that might keep moisture out.. will trap moisture in.. and natures way.. is to keep it mostly dry ...

for every hundred pruning cuts i used to make.. a few got away from me .. its the odds ... and frankly.. you were close enough .. imo ...

how did you make the cut ... looks like chain saw damage?? .. how much of the branch was hanging out there.. when you made the cut??? .. perhaps if you had used more of a surgical tool ... it wouldnt have gotten away from you ...

ken

Doing nothing is probably the right answer.

I'm just going to chime in that I think we seal oaks in some parts of the country and I know we seal fresh grafts because I worry about "group think".

Consider this dramatic example:

Ouch, I cut my leg in a way which won't be encapsulated by a scab today. I'm worried about a foreign body getting in so I'm going to clean in, put some neosporin on and install a bandage. Or I could hust let mother nature take its course.

So, in my opinion we do not know what to tell you to put on it. No one really does. So, you are better off doing nothing than buying something from the tree doctors at this point.

I used the saw at the end of a pole pruner. I feel like it was fairly surgical on the side that I was standing, but the angle caused it to disrupt the bark on the other side. The sweetgum's bark is so chunky that it comes off in chunks kinda easily. I don't have this problem with smooth barked trees. Not sure how I'd get anything finer than a pole saw higher up in a tree anyway.

"Bowed branch....which pic?"

It might be an illusion but it looks like there's a branch coming out of the main trunk like a waterspout, and curving upward to compete with the main leader. Which it wasn't able to do.

Yes - that should be removed.

Your cut will be fine.