Question
Crack in oak
Hello Melissa
I have two very very young oak tree in my yard in north central Texas. they has been in the ground for less than a year. I have noticed lots of vertical cracks on the trunk of the trees, even places where the cracks have meet and bark looks like it will come off easily. I have looked over the internet and saw that this might be frost cracks, or something similar. Question is, can I do anything about these cracks or is there just to many and need to start over and try again? Thanks.
Will upload picture.
AnswerDear Scott, I really don't like the looks of this tree. Generally, oaks don't have their bark peel off like that; it is more typical of a tree like sycamore. That being said, I have tried to find out what causes the cracks in the tree like that and the best I can figure is that it is some kind of stress, perhaps cold or drought as you suggested. The real problem is that if it is a focal point in your yard, it will probably always have an unattractive trunk. I would seriously consider starting over with new trees since they are small enough that the cost won't be so great. Also, what type of oak do you have and is it on your county's list of recommended species? Perhaps a different kind of oak, a pin oak, shumard, willow, or live oak would be better. If your tree is one of those, it is still a recommended oak for this area, and I would assume that the tree went through a lot of stress at some time and I would replant. Good luck, Melissa
