Spotted Bark

[Carpenterb30]

Crimson Queen I have is about 15 years old. I noticed that the top side of the trunk has all of these spots. Don't think it's a fungus its been there for a long while and doesn't really spread. Just curious of any others out there have a similar issue.

 

[rockm]

In Florida, with a JM, this is most likely sunscald. The red cast on the bark on the topside of that trunk looks dead. FWIW, many advanced bonsai ists put white t-shirts or cloth over trunks exposed to direct sun in the summertime. That shields the trunk from heat damage...

 

[Carpenterb30]

In Florida, with a JM, this is most likely sunscald. The red cast on the bark on the topside of that trunk looks dead. FWIW, many advanced bonsai ists put white t-shirts or cloth over trunks exposed to direct sun in the summertime. That shields the trunk from heat damage...

Thanks Bro. I keep it shaded underneath a large pindo palm it doesn't get a lot of direct light since i moved it here from our house in GA 2 years ago. It received a lot of sun there. You can tell from the greenish bronze leaves. It used to be a gorgeous burnt red. This year when it leaved they turned this color. I don't mind the color. Im just happy the tree lived from digging it up and potting. My wife gave me this tree about 12 years ago and it was just a short weeping stick in a small cardboard box at the grocery store.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Lichen are a symbiotic coupling of algae and fungi that doesn't harm the live tree. They are species-specific. You can gather the bark from a host and grind-up the bark and dust it on wetted bark of the same species and it will grow at the new site. I love it and use wherever I can. Nothing says "old" like raggety bark and Lichen.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Lichen are a symbiotic coupling of algae and fungi that doesn't harm the live tree. They are species-specific. You can gather the bark from a host and grind-up the bark and dust it on wetted bark of the same species and it will grow at the new site. I love it and use wherever I can. Nothing says "old" like raggety bark and Lichen.

If you live in an area with high levels of air pollution, they usually don't grow much though. The trees over here, even deep in the "woods" hardly have any lichen.

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Hi,
Wow, thought this was a myth until your explanation and my experience. We have very clean air and lichen grows like nuts, even in my hot and dry summer climate.
Could you explain to me the how’s and why’s to this happening.
Thanks, Charles