New Japanese Maple damaged while planting - repair advice needed

[CP]

All:

After carefully choosing a very nice 5ft Japenese maple and taking delivery of it, our landscaper slightly damaged the tree while moving it from the pot into the ground. Where a two branch fork exists, the tree split 1-2 inches right down the middle of the fork. The landscaper used duct tape to pull the split back together and told us the tree should heal in a few weeks. If this repair does not work, the tree will be lost as the two forked brances that I'm describing are two of three main growths from the tunk.

Is this the right way to repair the split? Is there anything else I should consider?

Thanks,

Charlie (Boston, MA)

P.S. The reason I ask is because our landscaper was less than honest that he did the damage, claiming the split was there when he went to plant it. I don't want to compound his mistake by permanently damaging our new tree.

[Bill Spohn]

Good chance your tree is toast.

I'd replace it (and your landscaper).

If you get lucky, it MIGHT heal.

[Lawrence Akutagawa]

Charlie -

As soon as you can, get some pruning compound and spread some over the duct tape. The objective is to seal the break from air. As along as the cambium layer of each part of the break is aligned and airfree, the tree will survive.

- Lawrence

[Janet Baraclough]

The message from [e-mail] (CP) contains these words:

No, it's an incompetent bodge. Duct tape is the wrong stuff to use. IF he had used the correct material, the tree might make new bark growth around the split. However, that spot would always be a scar weakness in the worst possible place, where disease or rot will probably get in and ruin the tree in later years. If he's competent at his job, he knows that and is not telling you. If he isn't competent....:-(.

Learn the lesson he's taught you twice; he can't be trusted. I'd refuse to accept damaged goods and deduct its full cost from any payment to him.

Be wary if he offers to bring you a replacement because with his record he might just put the split tree's label onto a cheaper inferior maple; it's autumn so you wouldn't know till the new leaves come next year.

Janet

[Babberney]

There is a slight chance the two sides of this split will grow back together (likelihood inversely proportional to how quickly tape was applied after injury), but the attachment between them will always be weak. That's not to say they will die, but they are likely to split apart later. If the diameter of the split trunk is large enough, you can put a bolt through the wood and reinforce the crotch that way, but it sounds like this plant is too small for that. The idea is that you cannot reattach the two parts of the crotch, but you may be able to reinforce it with something else.

Tape is a bad choice. You need something permanent, because the plant will now be dependent on whatever you use. Wrapping wire or another material around the split is also a bad idea. A tree grows by expanding its diameter. A wire around it will eventually take on the role of noose and the whole top of the tree will suffer and/or die as a result. If drilling through the wood is not feasible, you might be able to hold the tree together with support cables that tie one side of the tree to the other, but again you would face the problem of girdling when you looped the cable around the branch (obviously you won't be able to drill throughthe branches if the trunk is too small).

In the final analysis, your best bet is probably to convince the landscaper he destroyed the plant and make him replace it. A consulting arborist could back you up in this endeavor, but it may be cheaper to replace the plant (I know Jap maples are expensive, but you're looking at your own time, the cost of the consultation, and possible follow-up costs to get the arborist to pursue the issue with the developer). You can also get tree information from the ISA at

Good luck, Keith Babberney ISA Certified Arborist

For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please visit

consumer info about tree care, visit

[brianflay]

[Beecrofter]

It's quite possible the split was there when the landscaper went to plant the tree as that kind of branching is inherently weak. Go and get another tree as this one will always have weakness at the crotch and the only thing that cannot be made up is time.