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Maple Trunk Bark Peeling: Wound Care (Bark Scoring)

Red maple with vertical bark peel from knot hole to ground, tan spongy wood underneath: physical wound, not bugs/disease. Dead bark holds moisture, causes rot.

Bark Scoring Procedure

Pull off all loose bark.
Scrape away spongy tan material.
Cut into healthy tissue at edges (like debriding a wound).
Leave exposed; do not paint/seal.

Aftercare

Fertilize with slow-release tree fertilizer.
Water during dry periods.
Monitor for callous formation (good sign).
If bark loss continues, tree will die (vascular tissue destroyed).

This "surgery" gives tree best chance to compartmentalize wound.

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