japanese maple white ooze

Question

In the last two weeks, I live in Cleveland, a five-year old Japanese maple, suddenly starting oozing a white material from its trunk below the branches but a foot off the ground. Do you have any idea what this might be?

Answer 1

It sounds like it may be wetwood. This is a common tree infection that normally appears as though the tree is wet (hence the name) but can also appear as a white, foamy substance. This article will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/wetwood-bleeding-trees.htm