What has happened to this tree?

Send us your photo and we’ll answer your question.

We were sent this photo by a gentleman who took the snap whilst walking in a park in Hove. He wanted to know “What has happened to this tree?”

A wild imagination could make up all sorts of stories about this gnarled tree trunk!

Is that an ancient, intricate carving depicting a great battle? Or for those who love a horror movie, is it guts spewing out of a belly? Ugh!

In fact, this tree is suffering with multiple cankers over many years.

Cankers are dead sections of bark on branches or main trunks of trees. Bark may be killed by mechanical injuries or by plant pathogens, especially fungi and bacteria.

Canker diseases are common, widespread and destructive to a wide range of trees and shrubs. A ‘canker’ is really a symptom of an injury often associated with an open wound that has become infected.

When you’re out and about this summer and spot a fascinating tree, take a photo and send it to us at info@connicktreecare.co.uk. Don’t forget to include your question and we’ll get one of our arboricultural experts to give you an answer.