Q: I have a 'Red Sunset' maple tree that has what looks to be split bark on the south side of the trunk. It is a relatively young tree, and I do not want to lose it. I'm attaching a photo so you can ...

Q: Over the last couple of years, our Norway and Sunset maples have developed long, vertical splits in the bark. These splits can be as much as four feet long. This spring, some of them have been ...

Q: We have a beautiful Autumn Blaze maple tree with a split trunk bark. We’re wondering if it’s dying and if there is anything to be done to save it. We’d sure appreciate any advice. — Cliff and Nancy ...

Once leaves drop from trees, splitting, peeling, bleached or oozing bark may become more noticeable. The cause can range from normal bark development to environmental causes or disease. If tree bark ...

The big snow split our old weeping Japanese maple (3-feet by 4-feet wide). The trunk cracked apart vertically about 2 inches wide and way down the middle. Should we tie it loosely around the stem so ...

Q: I have a small, 4-foot-tall maple in my yard that has a crack in the bark on the southwest side. The crack is vertical and at least 8 inches long. Do I cover this crack with paint or pruning sealer ...

Q. Two years ago we planted two types of red maple, and they had done well. Now, on one tree, the bark is falling off the trunk but the other tree doesn't have this irregularity. Any ideas as to what ...

Question: I have a Japanese maple in our garden, and there’s this big vertical split in the main trunk surrounded by a thin strip of brown bark. The tree looks fine, but I’m worried about its ...

Mary Jo DiLonardo has worked in print, online, and broadcast journalism for 25 years and covers nature, health, science, and animals. Young trees sometimes have smooth bark that's unbroken by ridges.

You can always expect tree trunks to show up for the big spring dance with a variety of issues. This year it’s more evident than ever. Because it’s easy to overlook problems when they’re hiding in ...