Just learned why my Norway maples keep getting sunburned bark

I was talking to a county extension guy last week at a workshop in Portland and he dropped a fact that blew my mind. He said Norway maples have thin bark that can't handle direct afternoon sun when the canopy gets too thin. I always thought those trees were bulletproof since they grow like weeds around here. Turns out I was over-pruning them which exposed the trunk to too much light and heat. He showed me photos of trees with bark splitting right on the southwest side. I've got 3 Norway maples in my yard that all show signs of this now that I know what to look for. Has anyone else noticed their ornamental trees getting bark damage after heavy trimming? What do you do to protect them during the hottest months?

3 comments

3 Comments

abbyf7915d ago

Paint the trunk with white latex diluted half and half with water.

caseywalker15d ago

Wait, you actually paint the trunk with diluted latex paint and that works? @abbyf79 I thought you were joking about the white paint, not actual house paint on a tree.

the_ben15d ago

Yeah @caseywalker the paint trick works surprisingly well, I did it on my maples last summer and the sun damage stopped completely.