A tree problem

[bobbiwoz]

The tree was here when we bought the house. It's deciduous, green leaves when they come in the spring, but the leaves turn a deep purple. There is a chain like white flower in the spring.

We have 2, and they are ooozing sap, but one is much more distressed than the other. I haven't been able to identify it.

Are there any suggestions as to the type of tree, or the problem that's causing it to lose sap through the bark?? I do not see insects.

Bobbi

 

[mdvaden]

I'm stumped for the moment.

There are not too many purple leaf trees.

Purple leaf beech.
Flowering plum
Crimson King Norway maple
Some eastern redbud
Purple smoke tree - though smaller

You might try looking through my tree care album and see if any image and caption rings a bell...

Use my URL below, and find the Tree Care Album - see the one with oozing to see if it's similar damage.

 

[jima53]

If you can find your local county agriculture office take a leaf to them and let them identify it. They will also recommend how to correct any problems.


Jim

 

[bobbiwoz]

Thank you for your help. It could be what I have is a weeping purple beech tree with a bleeding bark canker that there is no "cure" for. I have to get to a nursery to see if that's it.

Bobbi

PS. mdvalden, your website is very informative. Thank you for the link.

 

[mdvaden]

Since I still can't put a URL in here...

Type in my main URL in my signature. After it, add...

/slime_flux.shtml

That may be a candidate.

 

[bobbiwoz]

It's the "nothing can be done" part that gets to me. Oh well. Thanks again. We have prunned the dead wood.

Bobbi

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Sorry about your tree, Bobbi. Seems to be quite a lot of that sort of thing going around here, too. (I blame global warming, but I blame most everything on global warming.... )

 

[shrubber]

What you probably have is a Prunus Virginiana type like a Schubert or Canada red. Common name chokecherry.
They are fairly suseptible to bores. That is a little beetle that burrows into the outer layer of bark and lays eggs. The eggs hatch and the larvae tunnel around and eat the soft wood. The sap oozing out is a natural defense of the tree trying to 'push' out the larvea.
There are treatments for bores. Check with your local garden center. None of them really work that well however. A cherry like that really only has an ornamental lifespan of about 10 to 15 years before it starts to decline and probably needs to be removed.