Bark split in Japanese maples

[ceriano]

What can cause bark split in this moonfire JPM? I planted this a few weeks ago. I noticed sever bark split in a few branches, I went ahead pruned those, now I noticed bark split in several other branches. can high heat cause this? The temps have been in 90s the past couple of days.

 

[rodeolthr]

If it's a tree that you just purchased, there's a possibility that this is physical damage that it received when being shipped to the nursery

 

[Shibui]

Looks a little like bite marks though usually mice and squirrels eat larger patches of bark.
Photos are not real clear but looks like there is callus around some of these marks which means the damage happened a few weeks ago at least and is starting to heal.

 

[ceriano]

If it's a tree that you just purchased, there's a possibility that this is physical damage that it received when being shipped to the nursery

That was my initial thought but there are definitely not physical damage. These happened during the past 3 to 4 weeks and it’s all around the tree. If it was physical damage it’s be on one side only.

 

[ceriano]

Looks a little like bite marks though usually mice and squirrels eat larger patches of bark.
Photos are not real clear but looks like there is callus around some of these marks which means the damage happened a few weeks ago at least and is starting to heal.

Yes some have started to heal. I don’t think it’s squirrels either. These branches are too thin

 

[WNC Bonsai]

You say it is all on one side. Does that side face the sun more? I have read of bark splits due to sun damage but it usually is more extensive. It can also be due to a cold snap after the sap has risen.

 

[ceriano]

You say it is all on one side. Does that side face the sun more? I have read of bark splits due to sun damage but it usually is more extensive. It can also be due to a cold snap after the sap has risen.

Yes it is the side that’s facing sun.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

OK, I had the bark split on a A. shirasawanum ‘Jordan” tree in my yard a couple of years ago on the sunny side. Looked like vertical stretch marks, so much more extensive than yours and all in one place. It has completely healed over now and not happened again. According to the sources I read it has something to do with the thin bark,
on maples, rising sap swelling the bark, the heat from the sun, and possibly complicated by a freeze. From what I read back then it is not all that uncommon in landscape trees.