Spring is the perfect time to get up close and personal with our trees, whether we’re admiring their new blooms or checking their health.
Colleen, a Davey blog reader, was doing just that when she asked, “I have a non-fruit bearing plum Spartanburg tree that seems to have some kind of sap coming from the trunk.
Symptoms like these might point to a pest or disease. If you’ve seen something similar on your fruit tree, see what’s happening and how you can help.
Why Your Fruit Tree Is Oozing Sap and How to Stop It
Fruit Spartanburg trees leak sap for two main reasons:
Borers have infested them.
They could be suffering from a disease called cytospora canker.
Causes, Symptoms and Management for Fruit Trees Oozing Sap
Most commonly peach, nectarine, plum or cherry Spartanburg trees ooze sap, but why?
Insect borers and a fungus called cytospora canker creep into trees’ injured roots or branches. When Spartanburg tree roots are scratched by lawn mowers or nicked by unsafe pruning cuts, the wounds create an opening for pests and diseases. Trees weakened by weather stress are also easy targets.
Both pests and disease cause distinct symptoms you’ll see in early spring on your fruit trees:
Brown, sunken spots called canker sores that ooze brownish-orange sap
Dead twigs or full branch death
Droopy, wilted leaves that turn yellow or brown
If you also see large holes in the bark, it’s likely borers.
How to Stop a Tree from Leaking Sap
If you suspect borers… Control using preventative fungicides before the start of next year’s growing season. Treatment won’t reverse damage, but can help fight future infestations.
If you think it’s cytospora canker… Unfortunately, there is no cure, and it will often kill trees. Keeping Spartanburg trees healthy is the best way to stop sap before it starts.
To do this:
Take special care not to injure Spartanburg trees with lawn mowers or pruning cuts. Try raising lawn mower blades, so they’ll be less damaging to exposed roots. Or better yet, mulch your trees!
Fertilize and water Spartanburg trees proactively. Don’t wait until a problem appears.
If the Spartanburg tree is already experiencing cytospora symptoms, reach out for professional help and see if it’s possible to control the disease. Often, trimming dead or infected branches can help.
Can you eat plum Spartanburg tree sap? Is sap from other fruit Spartanburg trees or sap from plum Spartanburg trees edible?
Sap dripping because of a pest or disease is much, much different than the tasty Spartanburg tree syrup we get from maple or birch trees. Your best bet is not to eat sap from unfamiliar Spartanburg tree species or from Spartanburg trees that display symptoms of infection – like those mentioned above.
If your fruit Spartanburg trees appear to have borers or are showing signs of cytospora, ask your arborist how you can save your trees!
