Question
I have a 5 year old red maple recently the bark has split on the north and south of the tree. The split run almost the length of the trunk. The tree seems healthy good foliage no visible sign of insects, HELP please. Thanks Kenneth

Answer
Sounds like sun scald.  Sunscald and bark cracks occur mostly on the south and southwest sides of smooth-barked trees and shrubs. Maples and other thin-barked trees seem to be particularly vulnerable, followed by apple and other fruit trees, linden, and mountain ash. The cambial temperature of south to southwest facing trees can reach into the 60-degree range while the shaded portion remains at freezing (32?F). (The cambium is the a thin, formative layer beneath the bark of the tree that gives rise to new cells and is responsible for secondary growth.) This heating results in the tree losing its dormancy, which is followed by lethal freezing when the sun sets. Sunscald, coupled with drought, can result in vertical frost cracks and death of the cambium. Frost cracks also provide an infection court for decay and canker pathogens. Prevention is the best method for contending with sunscald. If possible, provide shade by strategically placing other plants or structures on the south sides of thin barked trees and shrubs. Tree wrapping with reflective or light-colored material may be effective in preventing sunscald and bark cracking. The current recommendation for trees that are newly planted is that they should be wrapped for at least two winters. Thin-barked species should be wrapped for several years or until mature bark is established. Regardless of how many winters you wrap your trees, care must be taken to remove the wrapping in the spring. Moisture that collects between the bark and wrapping may provide an infection court for disease when the weather warms up.


Although occasional winter damage is a fact of life for most trees, winter damage that occurs consistently will weaken trees and predispose them to potential insect pests and disease. Adequate watering, fertilizing and mulching to improve tree vigor protects the tree from winter damage or minimizes the impact of such damage when it occurs. Winter damage is unsightly, but it need not be fatal. Watch the area for any sign of boring dust or insect holes and if these are seen spray the area with an insecticide called Merit.