Tree help!

[jennikatz]

I have a maple tree, about 3 or 4 years old (maybe 5, idk, I bought it at big lots and it was probably already 5 feet tall - so it's been in my yard amost 4 years) and about 15 feet tall. It was labeled as a red maple, but turns out, it's a regular one. Haven't seen a red leaf yet... ha! We've had some raging storms here in MS and he's sustained some damage. His trunk comes up and naturally splits into a three prong fork. Well, the middle prong (the stronger of the three) was bent over in one of our storms. I wouldn't classify it as "broken in half" but probably almost. I'm just sick about it and wondered if anyone has any advice on if it could be salvaged. I've had my yard guy take the middle prong and stake it back up using the other prongs as supports. Like I said, it wasn't completely broken. I've thought about calling an arborist, but my husband would probably say I'm being ridiculous - ha! But, of course, it's sentimental... My middle son has a pet buried under it and that's "Lenny's tree"... Does anyone have any advice or say what they think his chances are on survival? I wish I could post a pic so you could see. Is there a way do to that? Thanks so much in advance!

 

[patandchickens]

It may well BE a red maple, the leaves are usually pretty much regular green (in the species anyhow), tho the petioles/twigs/keys/etc are reddish and the leaves turn a good red in the autumn.

I'm having a hard time envisioning the damage -- could you possibly post pics?

Pat

 

[jennikatz]

Pat, I'll take a pic and see how to get it on here. It would be better if you could see it. I wish I had seen a red leaf so far! I'll take a close look at what you said, but so far, it's stayed green through fall...

 

[jennikatz]

Here's the tree!

Here's some shots of the damage from the front:

Here's some shots of the damage from the back:

I hope these help. Towards the end of fall last year, the bark had started "peeling"... I'm not good with trees, but I was told it might be some kind of beetle. I was given some stuff to mix with water and put on there but it hadn't done anything else. I'm sure this had weakened the tree...

 

[digitS']

I hope I'm declared wrong but it looks to me as tho' that tree is on its way out.

Sorry, just my take on the damage and recovery.

I am not much of a "tree guy" and no landscape expert, so . . .

Steve

 

[patandchickens]

Aiee, I'm sorry to say this of a tree with sentimental value, but I agree with Steve, I think your only real choice is between slow lingering death versus do it now and plant something else immediately-adjacent as a *new* pet memorial.

It looks as though it already had some significant problems even before your recent storm, and truthfully I don't think you can salvage it long-term. And all three major branches have serious issues.

FWIW, from the leaves I would have said silver maple not red maple, but there are lots of cultivars of red maple and I am certainly no expert, plus which there are hybrid cultivars that are a cross of the two species. I shouldn't be surprised if they don't "color up" in the fall in Mississippi, although I've not lived *that* far south myself so don't know from personal experience. But maples are really not a great tree for the south.

Sorry, wish I had something cheerier to say, but I think it may be time for Lenny (may he rest in peace) to get a new tree or other plant life, planted close enough to still be memorial but far enough not to require disturbing him with a shovel.

Best of luck,

Pat

 

[Collector]

Welcome to TEG, Your poor tree does look like it is in pretty tough shape. as stated above i do not think it is salvagable sorry. Glad you joined though.

 

[jennikatz]

Well, thanks y'all! That's what I figured... Maybe I'll go out and get a real red maple. Haha... That was the deal, Lenny was supposed to turn the leaves red in the fall... ha! I'll probably let it stay for a minute until I get a new tree to plant. I appreciate your input and am excited to find a place to get advice... :rainbow-sun

 

[journey11]

I'm gonna be the odd man out and suggest you give it a chance (unless you have your heart set on a red one). Maples are VERY hardy. They can take a lot more abuse than most other trees. This photo below shows how my neighbor likes to prune his maples. I've watched him chop down several over the years to 8' stumps and they send out new limbs very quickly. Within a year they are back to casting shade.

I'd prune out the damaged limb and if you want to, you could also cut the two remaining good limbs back to a foot or more in length and wait for it to fill back out. Couldn't hurt to try.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qME-72F3krBD55S3gFU1SWDLpkfXl8AyRU3YhBoAqLY?feat=directlink

 

[jennikatz]

Man, I love an odd man out! ha! Yeah, couldn't hurt to try... You never know. Your neighbor does some *serious* pruning! If they can come back from that... You never know...