made my day

Obviously the tree is doing fine on its own but is there anything I should do to help it? I’ve wanted to put mulch around it and make the ground around it look nice but don’t want to hurt the tree. I’m in central Maine in case that helps with an answer

Upon trimming the lower branches I discovered 4 large vines that are running well up the length of this beautiful pine tree.

I have an Autumn Blaze Freeman Maple, had it planted in 2010 (I think) as a 3in trunk, and it has been doing amazing. I haven't been in the yard much this year and just noticed this damage. I know these trees will have split bark normally, its just a part of how they grow, but this is far beyond that. The bark on either side looks healthy, doesn't seem loose or hollow. The bark on the left side of the scar is even still holding on. I couldn't reach the split further up, so I don't know if that area is the same, but it looks it.

I don't know how long it's been like this, judging by the scar growth at the edge, it is not recent. Might not even have been this year.

The tree looks otherwise healthy. I would not have thought anything was wrong if I hadn't walked around to the back side of the tree.

Questions:

A. What could have caused this?

2) Is the tree toast?

any ideas?

question - I have a sick looking quacking aspen. Any idea to save is welcome. Located in Southern Idaho.

Sierra juniper. Strawberry, CA. June 2026.

Why are these scars different from normal damage. They seem to have healed very well.

Growing in a park in NB, Canada. My son asked what it is because its fun to climb and I have no idea. Sorry I dont have a close up photo of the leaves.

I planted this river birch in May. At first everything was going well; I watered it every day, sometimes twice, for a little over two months. That’s when I noticed brown spots and leaf loss. I have fairly heavy clay soil and assumed I was overwatering it, so I just stopped and left it alone, but I’m worried it’s not going to make it.

We went away for the weekend and as I'm driving up the driveway I see that my apple trees have been stripped at the trunk... I had the guards on them until they grew too big (2-3" diameter currently) around mid summer. They were 1 year saplings when I planted them, almost 3 years in the ground now. I'm hoping that since the canopy still looks OK I'm not out 2 of my new apple trees?

I will go find larger guards ASAP, but is there anything else I should do to the exposed area to improve their survival chances? I've kept the base pretty well bare to prevent things like this so I'm real mad at myself for not just getting larger guards for another couple years!

We live in central Iowa if that matters

About two years ago, I had a local tree company trim some branches off my locust; mostly low hanging and dead branches. The following spring, the tree grew tons of branches straight out of the top of the horizontal branches. From what I have read, the tree might have felt stressed from the trimming and grew those new branches to add canopy leaves.

Questions:

Why did the tree grow all those new branches?

Should they be left as is?

If left, won't they create issues in the future because they are growing 'in' instead of out?

Any other considerations?

Thanks!

About a month ago the leaves on the west facing side of the oak tree began browning. Any idea what’s affecting it and can it be saved? Oak wilt? Location is Wadsworth IL. This is the first year this has happened. 🙏

I saw it from the car and thought that it was the most perfect tree I’d ever seen so I had to share it.

This is a Willow Oak at my community Center that I just noticed is being defoliated by catepillars. I saw a just a handful of catepillars on it, but loads of frass under the tree. Should I be doing anything to it to stop the munching? It was planted about 3 inches too deep, so last year I dug the soil down and mulched around it to keep the weed whackers away. You can see damage to the trunk as well. This tree can’t catch a break and since it is a memorial tree to a community member I am trying to get it healthy. Let me know your thoughts on leaving the catepillars alone to attempting to get rid of them. Thanks!

I am pretty sure this is a dogwood tree, and it’s looking pretty sad. I’m not sure if there is anything I can do for so I’m here looking for advice.

Adding additional context:

The tree had been there before I bought the home 15 years ago and the gravel has been there for before then as well. The pavers were added over 12 years ago. It’s been deteriorating for probably 4-5 years. It seemed to start after a large oak tree near it died and was cut down.

I think it looks like it’s in some kind of distress, but I have no idea really. Unfortunately I don’t know what kind of tree it is or when it was planted. It was already in our backyard when we moved in 5 years ago. It gets a lot of sun, there isn’t really anything around that would shade it. It looks like it might have some kind of other plant trying to grow on it at the base? Sorry I don’t have more information.

We did have much lower than normal rainfall from May-August. But the other trees and bushes around seem pretty unaffected by it.

If there’s anything I need to do to help this tree out please let me know!

This is in rural northern Michigan

(NC/zone 8B)