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You're right in that an element of capillary action is involved in the process. The usual explanation for how fluids flow through xylem tissue is to do with the interconnected process of transpiration. Fluids are taken in by the root hairs, into the roots, into the xylem, and moved up the plant through the hollow spaces within the xylem known as lumen, ...
10
All tap holes injure maple trees.
Extensive research into spile-hole damage (with an eye to reducing it, and preserving productivity) is precisely what has driven the downsizing of spiles. Few producers (essentially no serious ones) use even the 7/16 size currently. The area of damaged wood (which cannot produce sap in the future, until the tree has ...
6
It looks like a scale infestation. Unfortunately, Basil, being an edible plant, isn't that easy to treat because you can't use heavy duty insecticides, so its probably best to dip a cotton bud or something similar into white spirit or alcohol, dab the scale insect (the brown lumps) and remove them. There will be nymphs, the immature form of the scale, on the ...
5
That leaking sap & stained bark appears to be caused by bacterial wetwood, also known as slime flux. This is a common bacterial infection that creates slightly caustic sap & raises pressure within the wood. The pressure forces the sap out at weak points, staining the bark. The sap smells sort of fermented, right? That's the result of the bacteria ...
5
I would agree with @Grady, but also add that mesquites are legumes.
My understanding is that fixed nitrogen in the root nodules will remain there until the tree dies, so it is unlikely to be that. But how much is transferred in the sap? Legume beans have high levels of nitrogen (in the protein), so some of it must be transferred in the sap. But is it ...
5
...maybe, it is possible that the sap is feeding mycorrhizal fungi, that are making more nutrients available, or there is some nutrient freely available in the sap, or maybe it is just shade... but most likely is that it is just a coincidence, and the other one is under some sort of stress, from heat, or dehydration, or disease, or injury...
if you think it ...
4
The only cause of dripping 'gummy' stuff is usually an infestation or bacterial infection. Pest infestation such as Palm Scale particularly can cause dripping of sticky stuff, but if the dripping is coming from the trunks and not the leaves, that's more likely to be a bacterial infection. If its that, you should be able to see evidence of the problem because ...
4
Prune the tree at the correct time of the year for that type of tree to avoid the stain from a leaking wound.
Over several years the stain does go away as the wound heals closing the leak. It's not a sick tree, it's just healing the wound!
3
Check the palm thoroughly, sounds as if its got an infestation of either mealybug, scale insect or a heavy crop of aphids. These all produce honeydew, and that is very sticky indeed, and may be what's 'sprayed' all over everything. If it is infested, spray thoroughly with a suitable insecticide, but you probably need to take it outside to spray it, then ...
3
It's unfortunate that this is happening at the base of the tree - its called Gummosis or sometimes Canker and is very common on stone fruits. Often, the gummosis leads to a bacterial infection which can be quite offensive smelling, and at that point, it is described as bacterial canker. The link below will give more information, but the eventual outcome for ...
3
Your mesquite tree shouldn't really be constantly dripping sap - if the sap it is producing turns black or becomes smelly, it would indicate slime flux, a bacterial infection which sets in where sap is constantly running. These trees do bleed and produce sap when damage has taken place, or it has been pruned, particularly larger limbs, so it might be worth ...
3
Trees used to be able to grow much much taller than they've been able to for the past couple of millennia. I was finally able to locate a decent article which explains in detail the reasons for growth upwards and sideways: Hydraulic Limits to Tree Height and tree growth.
3
You are correct! You've got soft bodied insects that suck from the plants. Could be a number of types; aphids, white fly, etc. The sticky stuff is honeydew...the excrement from insects sucking on your plants. The only solution is spraying NEEM, mixed correctly and only spraying at night. Do not want to harm a single bee. Or hiring a company to annually ...
2
This is normal. You do not have anything to worry about. The vascular system is working. Pines are full of sap. Maples full of syrup. Milkweed full of milky sap. Unless you see any other signs that indicate poor health, your tree will be just fine. Check for insect infestations. I think all is well...
1
Aha - that's a clearer image, and under magnification, clearly shows a scale insect infestation- that's what the brown bumps are, image/info here http://homesteadbrooklyn.com/all/2017/1/17/common-insects-pests-on-houseplants. And that will also be the cause of the sticky 'sap' you've been getting, its the honeydew from the scale insect, not guttation. If ...
1
Hmm, odd. There is a phenomenon called guttation which happens when the plant is in particular environmental conditions (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guttation); this seems to fit the fact that the droplets are evenly distributed over the leaf. As an experiment, take a moist cloth and clean off one leaf only and see if the drops come back, and how ...
1
Not really a gardening question, but hey, its vaguely related! Hand sanitiser used neat is the best, doesn't damage your paintwork, probably requires a bit of elbow grease if the sap's been there a while, Youtube video here (it's not the only one that ends up recommending hand sanitiser though but its one of the more hip ones) https://youtu.be/Ri-Hi_3QrHE
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I think it is a black or sugar maple. I think syrup depends more on the temperatures , not the type of maple. I made syrup 2 years from silver maples in the Chicago area. I made a couple quarts from 2 trees. It is a 16:1 ratio from the juice ( NOT sap). On a bright sunny day after a below freezing night the juice flowed heavily . A cloudy day following a ...
1
I do believe this tree can be tapped for syrup. Acer rubrum. Red Maple
Let's wait until others have had a chance to concur or negate.
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