Okay, so I went out to try and tackle the many proscrastinated tasks in my garden today and discovered that the gorgeous old mimosa (the perfect climbing/shading/hammock hanging) tree is sick.

One of the main lateral branches (it branches out about a foot above ground level) has a long scar, about five feet long, running from near the crotch up toward the canopy. The bark along this is peeling off, and there are earwigs living in the gap between where the bark is and the tree's flesh below.

Anyone know what causes this and what to do about it? My friend who is a landscaper offered to give me some solution that he equated to antibiotics for trees--mix and pour near the base of the tree, and it cures what ails it. Any thoughts on what this treatment is and whether it's a good idea? It's generous of him to offer, but I thought I'd check here too and see what everyone says. Ya'll've never steered me wrong.

Any other ideas?

Thanks,

Heather

Down here Mimosa's suffer from very weak wood and we lose branches regularly. If it is just one branch, can it be removed and the rest of the tree saved? Several things can affect tree health, the worst thing being "weed and feed" fertilizers. They can kill the fungi that feeds the tree roots.

First thing we suggest is to aerate the soil around the tree's drip line - using a garden fork is generally enough. Also, make sure there is a clear flare, not a telephone pole in the ground look. If you need to, gently remove some soil from the flare with a tool called air spade. Otherwise, you can try a whisk broom and/or shop vac - be gentle! Then, you may spray the entire tree and ground area with a compost tea, maybe even add a little fish to it for fertilizer if you think it may be a bit hungry for some reason. Then, top off the soil with about a half inch of finely screened compost. (if it is not in a lawn area, screening is not as big a deal and you can also then mulch a few inches) We also add greensand, for natural iron and trace nutrients, lava sand, cornmeal and molasses. We call this the sick tree treatment and down here we sell it all in a bag (well the dry stuff) Check out this link. http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=130 If you can't find these things, let me know - I can ship. Hope your tree feels better!

I have a mimosa too, and notice the branches are very light when cut. They seem prone to damage as the pores within the wood are easily penetrated. Pruning off the damaged branch is best. That way the tree can heal itself. If you leave the branch on, it's a perfect home for insects and potential disease.

My tree does not get a lot of water. I live where summers are in drought, and the tree just gets incidental water when I water small plants growing elsewhere in my yard. I find sprouting baby mimosas all over my yard, all the time. Does your tree send out zillions of seedpods? If the tree is truly ailing, you might let sprouts start in a different location, just in case.

Hi guys,

Thanks for the feedback. I found out that I can get an arborist out to look at it for free, so I'm going to do that.

We could, feasibly, remove the ailing branch, but it is one of three main "trunks"--the tree branched out (probably due to some artful pruning) at about a foot from the ground, and the branch we're talking about is one of these main branches. Removing it would seriously unbalance the tree and undermine both its practical (shade-casting) and aesthetic virtues. I sincerely hope it's not necessary.

I figure even if the arborist recommends expensive treatment, it's an important investment. And if he says to feed it medicine, well, I'll just do that then.

Thanks again, and here's hoping everyone else's trees are well.

Heather

An arborist should know what to do. Those branches are mighty low down on that trunk! A big, pretty tree takes years to get that size, and saving it is worthwhile, even if it costs a few hundred dollars. Maybe the bugs like that branch so much because it is so close to the ground.