Question

Cherry Tree   QUESTION: Hi,  We have a pink flowering cherry tree which is losing it's bark on one side.  It looks like the bark is just peeling off.  It also looks like it has deep gouges under the bark.  What is going on and is there anything we can do?

ANSWER: Looks like a canker caused by sun scald. There is not really a cure but the canker usually dose not kill the tree. The tree will grow over the canker if it is kept healthy. I would recommend that you fertilize the Treee with 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 lb of fertilizer to each inch of tree trunk diameter. Spread this evenly around the tree and water in. I would do it now and again in the spring. I would cut any loose bark from around the canker wound this will speed up the healing process. Do not put wound dressing on the area this will slow the process. The tree over time will grow over this wound.

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QUESTION: Thank you for your response.  What is sun scald and can I prevent this in the future?

Answer
Sunscald is a form of injury to the trunk of many landscape trees. Often called southwest injury, it usually occurs on the southwest side of young trees. As the sun shines on the tree trunk, cells within the tree break dormancy and become active. When the sun sets and temperatures get colder, the active cells are killed. This injury may appear as sunken and discolored bark. By spring, the bark may crack and fall off in areas along the trunk. Dead tissue is revealed under the cracked bark. The injury is most severe on thin-barked deciduous trees, such as honey locusts, fruit trees, ashes, oaks, maples, lindens, and willows. Sunscald occurs on warm winter days.

To prevent sunscald, the trunks of susceptible trees can be covered with tree wrap. This is put on in the fall and must be removed in March to prevent girdling and possible insect damage. Until the bark has thickened on young trees, they may need to be wrapped yearly. Be sure to scout for insects and carefully remove any bark not attached to the trunk of the tree. In your case the tree seem too large to wrap. I would not really bother with the wrap just clean the loose bark and let the tree heal.