Splitting bark on lime tree (forum)

AmberKristen starts with ...
Hi, I have a beloved lime tree (about 8yrs old) that has suddenly started splitting its bark. The trunk first had one split in it, and now more have developed further up the trunk and on some of the lower limbs. There appears to be some white scale on the trunk. I cannot find any evidence of borer's (dust, holes, sap etc). There is no sap oozing from any areas, its just like the trunk got too big for the bark and its split. SOme splits are more than 30cm in length. PLease help if anyone has any suggestions. The tree is still prolifically fruiting but there is some yellow mottling to the leaves so I am suspecting it needs some iron definency too which I will rectify.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2
Picture: 3
Picture: 4

Time: 16th February 2015 7:09pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author AmberKristen
Glass House Mountains
#UserID: 11305
Posts: 2
View All AmberKristen's Edible Fruit Trees

Boris Spasky says...
citrus snow scale (Unaspis citri).
They appear innocuous, until as you have found, bark splitting occurs.
If not treated your tree will die a slow death.
Use an anti scale or malathion based product painted on the trunk and major branches.

Time: 16th February 2015 8:49pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report

About the Author Boris Spasky

#UserID: 7085
Posts: 184
View All Boris Spasky's Edible Fruit Trees

AmberKristen says...
Thank you for the advice. Yes I have been watching it slowly split in more and more places. I have had mixed advice and some have said borers but it just didnt look like the damage that borers do and I suspect the scale did have something to do with it. Do you have any suggestion on how to prevent infection of my neighbouring citrus? For this infected lime tree I was going to mix some malathion into a prunning paint and paint that on - is this advisable?

Time: 19th February 2015 10:24pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author AmberKristen
Glass House Mountains
#UserID: 11305
Posts: 2
View All AmberKristen's Edible Fruit Trees

MikeThorn says...
My lime tree also suffered split trunk and splits on major boughs. I also noticed branches dying off that had been pruned the year before. I have trimmed off all the dead branches and have a single branch left with leaves and fruit. I have yet to treat the tree. I will treat the fresh cuts with pruning paint and Malathion and treat the trunk as well. I have a Meyers Lemon and Cara Cara orange in close proximity that do not have trunk splitting.

Time: 28th July 2015 8:06am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (1) | Report
People who Like this Question Gail9
About the Author MikeT
Northridge
#UserID: 12095
Posts: 2
View All MikeT's Edible Fruit Trees

jakfruit etiquette says...
Malathion is an insecticide, it affects the transmission of nerve signals, in insects and animals. Not sure it would be known to be effective against plant wounds.

Time: 28th July 2015 9:25am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author jakfruit etiquette
vic
#UserID: 5133
Posts: 915
View All jakfruit etiquette's Edible Fruit Trees

Overlander says...
Did you ever fix this problem? I have just discovered my tree looks exactly the same.
Thanks Andy

Time: 26th December 2017 11:23am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (1) | Report
People who Like this Question Gail9
About the Author Overlander
Qld
#UserID: 17589
Posts: 1
View All Overlander's Edible Fruit Trees

Gail9 says...
I'm very interested in this forum as the bark my lime is splitting too.
I thought that it may be citrus snow scale. So I sprayed with white oil and then at another time with wettable sulphur. The sulphur seemed to have the best result. However the bark has split again and a few scale (white spots on limbs) are becoming obvious again.
Please if you have had success could you please share the remedy as I really don't want to lose my amazing lime tree.


Time: 12th August 2018 2:30pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author Gail9
TOLGA,4882,QLD
#UserID: 18816
Posts: 2
View All Gail9's Edible Fruit Trees

MikeT says...
Never resolved and replaced the tree. In addition to the splitting bark, I had severe branch die back from pruning cuts. My other citrus: Meyers Lemon, CaraCara and Wash. Navel Orange have not been affected.

Time: 13th August 2018 8:01am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author MikeT
Northridge,CA
#UserID: 12095
Posts: 2
View All MikeT's Edible Fruit Trees

Gail9 says...
Thank you for your response MikeT
AmberKristen did you have any luck?
My lime looks to have the symptoms as yours in your photos.

Time: 14th August 2018 1:47pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author Gail9
TOLGA,4882,QLD
#UserID: 18816
Posts: 2
View All Gail9's Edible Fruit Trees

Debann says...
Hi, My beautiful line in Australia has the same problem. I was advised by nursery that my problem is due to stress from our current drought. She is still flowering and still splitting. I was advised to paint the wounds with a sealant.

Time: 5th October 2018 3:02pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author Debann
Gatton
#UserID: 19096
Posts: 2
View All Debann's Edible Fruit Trees

yano says...
i've recently run into a similar issue. i did a lot of research. the problem is Phytophthora Gummosis or a similar type of infection.they say there is no cure. basal bark treatment with liquid copper and phosphoric acid helps. foliar spraying with oxytetracycline my help it im trying it now myself. i have seen improvements already after 2 weeks but can take a year to recover. these treatments also help with HLB caused by phyllids moths(citrus greening). trees cracking is not normal, leaf miners are a big problem in young trees. malathion dose kill miners, spinosad is a better product, both products kill phyllids. good luck guys hope these trees all get healthy again. i love my orchard.

Time: 24th April 2019 12:29am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
Original Post was last edited: 24th April 2019 12:30am
About the Author yano
Tampa
#UserID: 20211
Posts: 1
View All yano's Edible Fruit Trees

Debann says...
Thank you Yano.


Time: 24th April 2019 9:53am

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author Debann
Gatton
#UserID: 19096
Posts: 2
View All Debann's Edible Fruit Trees

JAP says...
Just been pruning my citrus, Lime, Lemon & Kaffir and discovered some branches are splitting on the Lime & Lemon. We had a severe burnout last summer and a lot of plants were burnt including the Citrus but they seemed to survive, although I have noticed that there are still some leaves that look dry at the ends. I also noticed there doesn't seem to be much in the way of new growth of leaves of fruit buds. Been doing my spring fertilising and added Epsom Salts for the first time. After reading the above not sure if its scale or just results of severe burning last summer. Any info would be helpful not really a green thumb.

Time: 11th September 2019 3:13pm

Reply | LIKE this Answer(0) | LIKE this Question (0) | Report
About the Author JAP
Paynesville
#UserID: 20864
Posts: 1
View All JAP's Edible Fruit Trees