Sugar Maple Tops Dead, is tree rotting from the heartwood out?

mkjones32 · August 17, 2011, 03:49:26 PM

Hi,
I live in Eagle River, WI (Northern WI) and its been dry here the the previous 8 years or so (drought stressed maples). I have many Sugar Maples with dead tops and my neighbor told me that the tree is rotting from the heartwood out and I should cut them for firewood before they rot and become worthless. I know its safer to cut a rotting tree now than in the future (still not safe). I don't want to drop good tree's unnecessarily because they might be rotten. Is the neighbor right? or do I need to do something like call the arborist / core the tree's, or do a plunge cut ;D Sorry if I stole someone's joke!

Thanks,

Kevin

Clark · August 23, 2011, 07:42:01 PM

Kevin,

The part of WI you're in grows some pretty good sugar maple. The tops dying out of your trees isn't great but with sugar maple I'd say it's zero sum for a yard tree. If these are yard trees and the top is dying down to a spot where it is 3" in diameter or smaller I'd say there is little worry in your lifetime about the trees becoming a liability. If they are yard trees you have the added bonus of being under your watch so things shouldn't get out of control without you being aware of it.

I'd say our friend is partially right, the inside of the tree will develop rot but sugar maple takes care of that quite well and if the area that has died is pretty small then there is even less damage that will be done.

Clark

mkjones32 · September 03, 2011, 10:50:34 PM

Thanks for the repsonse Clark!!!

shelbycharger400 · September 03, 2011, 11:05:24 PM

i have 2 sugars doin same deal, except its the squirrels or the woodpecker or both in my case .. one had a dead branch 4 in dia..cut it out last spring... now i have another.. with a 2 in hole in it.. >:( and its a 16 in dia tree. the other, a few bigger branches, doin fine all year... just up and die. both have a hairline crack running from ground to the first crotch about 8 ft up. seems once bigger than 12in dia..they start becomming hollow.

SwampDonkey · September 04, 2011, 04:49:00 AM

I have a 30" sugar maple in the yard, I reported to the utility for take down last Nov, still standing. But, the but is half gone and the top is still live and lush as if nothing is going on. A sugar maple is pretty dang tough sometimes.

I get a little worried in easterly winds as that is the side that is rotten and the lines are on the west side. A recipe for disaster, but I'm no lineman nor do I have equipment to remove it. Done, did my part as required by the utility company. Blame them for moving lines from the opposite side of the road into yard trees, bright bunch. Clear field where they were before. ;)

HiTech · September 09, 2011, 12:54:24 PM

Not sure what they call it, but the tops die and then the bark will fall off. By the time the bark is falling the tree may not be good for even firewood. Rock Maple rots very fast...even standing. I have lost some in my sugarbush do to this. It almost looks like the way the white ash die. They always seem to lose their tops first.