A healthy, strong tree is beautiful to see, especially when it sways in the gentle breeze. The leaves usually fall in autumn, and then regrow in spring. But does the bark of trees grow back? What can you do if your trees have large amounts of bark?
Trees can repair minor bark damage but they won’t be able to restore major bark loss. Instead, thickened ridges will form around the bark that is missing. To encourage clean regrowth, smoothen the edges of any missing bark.
Trees can lose their bark for many reasons. Let’s take a look at these causes and what we can do to fix them.
Why tree bark is so important
The tree bark, the tough outer layer, is the first line defense. Much like our skin. The bark protects trees from extreme temperatures, keeps rain out and retains internal moisture. It also helps guard against pests and animals.
Tree bark, just like our skin grows from the inside and sheds from time to time. The new cells beneath are continually replaced. It is impossible to grow back if the bark layer is damaged by environmental factors, pests, diseases, or any other problem.
The bark protects the developing layers of the tree, which provide water and nutrition to the limbs. These layers can be severely damaged and could spell doom for the tree. Death increases when large areas of bark are damaged or destroyed, especially if it is completely around the tree.
According to the Department of Environmental Conservation tree bark that is missing or damaged can lead to tree weakness. You can think of damaged bark as a cut in your skin. This can lead to the spread of viruses and bacteria, which could be cause for concern.
You should call a professional to inspect your tree if it is missing a lot or shows signs of decay.
Why Tree Bark Doesn’t Grow Back
Trees can grow their foliage back so why shouldn’t their bark? Let’s think of the tree leaves as our hair. You can trim our hair to the scalp and it will grow back. Tree leaves are very similar to human hair as they are constantly being replaced.
Tree bark is made up of many cells, so it will behave differently when damaged. The bark can regenerate itself from the underside if the outer layer is damaged. Even trees shed bark from time to time, especially river birch.
It can’t regenerate if the layer beneath the bark layer, which is hard and rough, is removed or severely damaged.
Trees like the paperbirch have bark which naturally falls off and then grows back naturally.
What Causes Trees To Lose Their Bark?
Trees don’t usually shed all their bark like people who do not shed their clothes as soon as they return home from work. Trees can lose their bark if they have an underlying condition. It is essential for their well-being.
Tree bark can be damaged by many factors including insect infestations, animal damages, environmental factors and human causes. Let’s look at these and other causes to see if there are any ways to save the tree.
1. Insect Infestation
Many insects desire to eat the nutrients trees provide. Boring insects, those that bore into trees and not those that ramble on about boring subjects, can do a lot to trees.
The emerald-ash borer, for instance, has been decimating American ash trees by causing them to peel and split their bark. D-shaped holes that are visible where larvae have burrowed from the tree will be the most obvious sign.
Boring insects larvae can tunnel through the tree’s growing layers and, if it is severe enough, they can cause the tree to die by cutting off nutrition.
Tree bark and trees can be damaged by ants. However, ants are attracted to trees by honeydew-producing insects. If you see ants around your trees, it could be a sign of aphid infestation or rot.
There are only two options to get rid of ants or borers from your trees. There are two options: either you can cut down the trees and remove the ants or use a pesticide to eliminate the insects. The latter is not something we recommend, so it’s better to call a professional pest control or arborist.
Learn more about the Trees that insects love To understand which trees are most susceptible to insect damage
2. Animal Damage
There are many animals that can damage trees’ bark during food searches. These animals will remove the bark of trees when food is scarce to get to the tender, inner parts of the tree. This type of damage is especially dangerous to saplings and older trees.
The tender cambium layer beneath the dry bark can be used by deer, squirrels and voles as well as other animals such as porcupines, voles and voles. This is the growth layer. This layer is the growth layer. It provides water and nutrition to other parts of the tree.
Bark damage from deer
You can remove large areas of bark by using your antlers to rub or by scraping away the bark to reach the inner cambium layer. This damage can be seen as ragged strips or large chunks of bark missing off the tree, a few feet above the ground.
You can repair the damage by removing the bark in ragged areas with a sharp knife. Do not cut any of the more healthy bark. Let the area heal naturally.
Do not use any paint or sealant on the tree as it can slow down the healing process. If you have not done so recently, fertilizer should be added.
You should contact a local arborist if the tree is not responding in 2 to 3 weeks.
Rabbits can cause bark damage
You might notice evidence of rabbits chewing your trees in winter. You might see evidence of rabbits chewing on your trees at ground level in winter.
The same steps that are used for deer can be applied if you find rabbit damage to your tree. If the tree has been girded, you will need to take special care of it.
Bark damage from squirrels
These “tree-rats”, or fluffy tree rats, can cause damage to trees’ tops and branches. This happens during winter, when food storage is scarce. This damage is usually caused by squirrels in winter when food storage becomes scarce.
Bark damage from Gophers, Voles and Mice
These rodents are not usually a threat to trees, except for gophers. They dig through bark and don’t pose a risk to the trees. The roots of small trees are also a target for voles and mice.
You might find small holes or soil mounds in your trees. These are signs that mice and voles may be living there. Gophers dig similar types of holes but larger. Gophers can cause severe problems to trees, especially saplings.
To repel rodents from your property, you can use strong-scented repellents. Castor oil or cayenne pepper can be used to repel these rodents.
These methods may not work. Contact a professional pest control company to help you manage these animals. Human methods are often preferred. Professional pest control companies have many options for dealing with repeat offenders.
Porcupines Cause Bark Damage
These walking pincushions could seriously damage trees. They are also capable of climbing very high and will stay in trees until they have had their fill. Porcupines can easily girdle trees as they eat the bark’s inner layer.
The damage done by porcupines can look like gnaw marks on a tree, often around the trunk and sometimes several feet high. This type of damage almost always results in the death of the tree. Prevention is the best way to address porcupine damage to tree, but that will be covered in a moment.
3. Woodpeckers Cause The Most Bark Damage
The bark of trees can be damaged by sapsuckers and woodpeckers. Although woodpeckers aren’t known to cause damage to healthy trees, sapsuckers can. They seek out the sweet-tasting sap that is just below the tree’s surface.
Woodpeckers tap on trees to look for beetles, grubs and other insects beneath the bark. Woodpeckers won’t cut down large sections of trees unless there is an infestation. Pileated woodpeckers are an exception.
Large woodpeckers can tear away large sections of bark to find insects to eat. These birds are attracted to decaying or dead trees . Although they can sometimes attack healthy trees, they only care about insects.
You might consider having an arborist inspect your trees for woodpeckers.
Sapsuckers, on the other side, will drill holes in trees to find the sap they are looking for. Sapsuckers will tap the sap out of trees in either horizontal or vertical lines and then return to the tree to drink the delicious sap.
They are usually migratory birds and don’t stay around long. The damage they cause is often minimal. After a sapsucker has eaten, a healthy tree will quickly recover.
4. The Tree Has Reached The End Of Its Lifecycle
It’s not a good sign when large pieces of bark fall from trees. This could indicate rot or a disease in the tree. If bark is falling in large pieces, you might be able save it by calling a professional.
When a tree isn’t healthy, rot can quickly set in. This can attract insects and fungus, which will speed up the process. It depends on what kind of tree you have, so it might be worthwhile to try to keep it alive. However, it is likely that you will be happier if someone else cuts it down and replaces it with a different tree.
Contacting a professional tree service can help you decide if saving your tree might be possible.
5. Sunscorch or Sunburn
Even trees can get sunburn. This can especially happen in very hot and dry summers. Sunscorch can cause the bark to fall off trees in winter. Both of these events can cause severe damage to a tree’s bark, and reduce its life expectancy.
Sunscorch occurs in winter. It is usually on the south-west side of the tree trunk. Sun scorch is a condition where the bark becomes frozen from extreme temperatures and then it is warmed by the sun to thaw it.
Utah State University Forestry Extensions explains how sunscald/sunburnt is caused by winter freezing temperatures, which affect the sun-warmed tissue of the tree called cambium. If the injury is severe enough, the bark may begin to discolor and eventually slough off.
This type of damage is more common in younger trees that have thinner bark. The bark will start to peel, leaving the inner growing layers exposed to the elements. This will reduce the tree’s life expectancy.
You can either leave the lower branches of your trees to help provide shade or wrap the tree with a cloth to protect it from extreme temperatures. The Walter E. Clark tree wrap is highly recommended to protect against sunscalds.
Sunburn from trees is similar to what we experience when we travel and spend too much time outside. The bark can become brittle from the heat and constant sun rays. Sunburn can be very similar to sunburn, but it occurs in the summer months .
Trees will get sunburned faster if there is severe drought
Sunburn can be prevented by keeping trees that have sun scorch protected from the sun during the hot summer months. This will prevent the bark from becoming damaged.
Spring and fall are the best times to plant new trees. If possible, avoid planting in the summer as they will not be able to withstand hot and dry summers. Sunburn can be prevented by using a reflective or white wrap.
Keep your tree healthy and watered after sunburns or sun scorch. Let the tree heal by itself. Sealants and covers that cover the injury areas are not recommended as they can be harmful.
Did You Hurt Your Tree Bark?
Trimmers and mowers can cause damage to the bark of trees, particularly if they are newer. This is how trees can be girded. Even a professional trimmer can damage trees in an instant by accidentally removing bark.
You can either plant ground cover or mulch around the tree’s trunk to prevent this kind of damage. You should leave a small indentation about a foot from the base of your tree. Mulch should look like a donut around the tree.
If your tree’s bark is damaged by an accident, Take a look at this guide to how to save trees with stripped bark!
Fungi And Tree Bark
Hypoxylon canker, a fungus which can cause large amounts of tree bark to fall off in large sections, is not a joke. Hypoxylon canker is a fungus that grows under the peeling bark and causes yellowing branches and dying leaves.
Use this BioAdvanced concentrate product if you have trouble with diseases and fungi attacking your trees!
If this fungus has infected your trees, unfortunately there aren’t many things you can do. To prevent the fungus from spreading to other trees or shrubs, it is best to cut down the tree and remove all wood.
Preventing Tree Bark Loss
Strong, healthy trees are the best protection against factors that could damage or drop bark. Most problems can be solved by proper watering, fertilizing, trimming, and pruning your trees. Trees that are healthy are more capable of healing injuries, fighting insects and preventing future problems.
It might be more difficult to keep munching critters away. Wrapping your trunks with wire mesh is the best way to stop rodents such as gophers, rats, and ravenous porcupines from eating your trees. These Andwarmth Tree Protectors can help protect most animals.
You might need to be more aggressive if you have problems with porcupines. These prickly creatures are excellent climbers. To keep them away, you might need to use catch-and-release traps or wire fencing around your trees.
How To Save A Tree With Damaged Bark
Tree bark cannot be regrown, as we have said before. If the damage isn’t too severe, however, the tree can repair itself.
You can help the tree by removing the bark’s jagged edges. However, you must be careful not expose any living tissue beneath. To smoothen the edges, use a chisel or sharp knife. Keep the tree healthy, and allow it to heal naturally.
Check out this guide to learn more about the reasons bark is falling off of your oak tree, and how you can fix it!
Don’t Use Sealants
They are available, but that doesn’t mean they should be used. According to arborists, sealants do not help trees heal. Numerous scientific studies have shown otherwise. They can also do the opposite. Depending on which sealant is used, they may provide hiding places for insects or fungus.
Girdled Trees
If the bark damage extends beyond the tree’s trunk, you will need to keep an eye on the tree and wait for it to recover. As the tissue layer that supplies nutrients and water to the tree is damaged, a girdled tree will have little chance of healing.
You will need to take down the tree if the tree appears stunted or the leaves aren’t dropping before autumn. There is nothing else you can do.
That’s A Wrap!
Although trees can grow new branches and leaves every year, they are unable to regrow their bark. Bark damage can be caused by animals, fungus and other environmental factors. However, healthy trees can usually heal themselves if the damage isn’t too severe.
With a little knowledge and professional assistance, you can determine if the tree’s bark has been damaged and if it should be removed.