Question
QUESTION: I have a young Plum Tree, maybe 3 years old, At the base there are about three bumps, but when they first came up, i thought it looked like a squirrel had chewed it, but they never went away. They look more like bumps now, maybe they have healed. Any suggestions, i know that was a very vauge description, but maybe you have some advice. The tree itself it otherwise growing well.

ANSWER: Hi Shelly:
These bumps may be just callus tissue formed in response to an early injury (the tree's response to injury- like healing).  If the tree is growing fine and you see no signs of wilt or yellowing of leaves, you'll probably be OK.  Be sure to keep lawnmowers and string trimmers away from the trunk- these things can be a death sentence to a tree or shrub.  If you wish, you can send along a photo of these bumps and I'll be glad to have a look.

Regards
Steve



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bumps on plum   QUESTION: There are about 5 of them all on the same side that go up a few inches to the first branch, At the very bottom where the base connects to the ground one wraps around about half way, thats not su much a bump as the bark is missing. The tree itself is about the width of my finger. The bumps each have a white/tan line going up the center which you cannot see in the picture. Thank you

Answer
Shelly:
The larger raised bumps appear as normal woody callus tissue as mentioned earlier.  They do not appear as an open area, thus I expect this tissue to be fine beneath.  The tiny "pimples" that resemble very small volcanoes are lenicels (normal openings in the bark).

Steve

P.S. Thanks for the photo!!