what's this English Laurel goo?

[bstewert]

Looks like axle grease! What is it?!

 

[sotc]

Maybe phytophthora, maybe bacterial

 

[bstewert]

There were several tears and scrapes caused by construction trucks coming down a driveway 6-8 months ago. Pretty sure this was one. Just haven't seen the greasy stuff.

 

[rbtree]

Looks a bit like bacterial gumosis, which affects prunus.... which laurel is.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Good to see a post from you Roger.

Post some pics of what you've been up to, eh?

 

[treelooker]

Gummosis is not always bacterial or infectious. This looks like a pine pitching at wound margins. Scrape under the 'grease'--that looks like callus tissue.

 

[bstewert]

Update pic on what's happening with the goo. Haven't touched or scraped anything.

 

[treelooker]

So it just went away? Thanks for the followup. That orange stuff sure looks like callus turning into woundwood. the cracking bark to the left indicates that it is dead, from the same physical injury. In ALL cases, removing all non-living material from an area of concern is the best way to learn what's going on. 1 minute with a screwdriver could tell a lot here.

 

[bstewert]

Yep, I decided to just leave it alone and watch. I walk by it every day. What are you suggesting to check with a screwdriver?

 

[Reddog]

Yep, I decided to just leave it alone and watch.

Seems like the best course of action at this time, based on the last picture.

 

[treelooker]

A blunt hand tool peels, scrapes away dead material so you can see the tree's response, and the extent of potential issues.

Diagnosis requires more than watching, which is a course of INaction.

Diagnosis requires cleaning. Lack of knowledge does not require anything!