Q. I have a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) that is
about 5 feet tall. It has been in the ground for two years. A deer
recently scraped the bark off most of the trunk -- about 3 feet --
and knocked off the small lower branches, too. I wrapped the trunk
with strips of burlap, Is this enough to protect the tree? Is there
something more I should/can do to help it? Will the tree grow new
bark, or do I have to keep it wrapped forever? Will the tree survive
winter?
A.
Bucks rub their antlers on small, flexible trees in order to rub off
the velvet that initially covers them. During rut, bucks rub their
antlers on trees to attract receptive does and to demarcate
territory and warn other bucks to stay away. Unfortunately, buck
territory nowadays includes many people's landscaped yards and
prized trees. It is possible that the buck may return to rub on this
tree again if it is part of his territory.
Although it is
hard to say if it will survive since I have not seen the tree, it is
amazing how much buck rub damage trees can survive. Damage that
completely encircles the tree's circumference is more deadly than
damage up-and-down. This is because the tree's vascular system is
just under the bark. Young trees have very thin bark that offers no
protection from such damage. The bright green layer under the bark
is called the cambium. It is only one cell thick, and it gives rise
to the tree's vascular system. Xylem (ZI-lem) -- the part of the
vascular system that transports water and nutrients from the roots
throughout the crown of the tree -- is produced to the inside.
Phloem (FLO-em) -- the part of the vascular system that transports
the products of photosynthesis to the roots -- is produced to the
outside, just under the bark. When a tree is damaged completely
around its circumference, it is said to be girdled. Trees that are
girdled often die because they can no longer transport water and
nutrients. If the damage is most severe up-and-down on the trunk,
the tree can survive, although it may die on the side where the
damage occurred.
Effective tree trunk protection
Trees are capable
of healing a surprising amount of damage on their own. Avoid the
temptation to use a wound dressing. It may make you feel better --
like putting a Band-Aid on the wound -- but it can actually
interfere with the tree's ability to heal itself. The burlap strips
are not going to help, either, although they are less likely to
cause problems than would dressing.
The best practice
is to use a sharp knife (a grafting knife comes in handy here) to
cut off jagged pieces of bark around the edge of the wound. If you
can cut the wounds into an elliptical or football shape, it will
help the tree recover more quickly, but do not dramatically enlarge
a wound to accomplish this. Just clean up the edges as best as you
can because they will heal easier than the ragged damage left by
Bambi's antlers.
Since the buck
may return to rub again, the burlap strips are not going to be
enough to protect the tree from further harm. You should surround
the tree with a sturdy fence or barrier that can keep a determined
deer away from the tree trunk. A 6-foot-tall barrier of welded wire
mesh, supported by 8-foot-tall rebar pounded into the ground at
regular intervals around the circumference is a reliable way to keep
bucks from rubbing on young trees. While deer repellents can help
prevent deer browsing, they are not very effective in controlling
buck rubs.
More of Sandy's
Tree Tips |
