Maple Tree Problem

Question

Need to know what is going on with the trunk of my Maple Tree. The bark on my Maple Tree is splitting in several places.

Answer 1

If it is just cracks, it is likely winter damage. This is frequent in younger trees who have thinner bark but can happen to older trees. It occurs because the suns heat warms up the trunk in the winter, causing the interior layers of the trunk to swell and then this cracks the bark. It is normally not harmful to the tree, but as precaution, I would recommend treating the cracks with a fungicide every few months until they are healed to keep disease away. But do not seal them with anything as this can trap disease in the crack and cause damage. You can prevent further cracking in the future by wrapping the trunk in the winter until it gets a bit tougher.

If these look more like sores on the tree, rather than cracks, then it may be cankers. This article will help you with that:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/p421cankersontrees.html