{"id":18738,"date":"2022-02-15T08:33:27","date_gmt":"2022-02-15T13:33:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/?p=18738"},"modified":"2022-02-15T08:33:27","modified_gmt":"2022-02-15T13:33:27","slug":"black-substance-on-maple-trees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the black substance on Maple trees?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Question:<\/h3>\n

I have many maple trees with various amounts of a black substance on their trunks. I am assuming it is a fungus, but am not sure. On trees with just a little, it appears circular and is located near the base of the tree. On trees with a lot of fungus, it almost fully covers the trunk and extends upward towards the tree canopy. The leaves of the trees did have some black spots on them in the summer, but it was very minimal. The other thing noticed was that when one of these trees was cut, a white growth appeared on the cut edges of the wood and the outside bark. I have many trees over approximately one acre that have some degree of this fungus. Is it hurting the trees? Is there any organic remedy that I could use to reduce\/eliminate this fungus?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Answer:<\/h3>\n

Lynne M. Holland, Horticulture and Social Media Professional<\/em><\/p>\n

First, the wood on the ground has mold and fungi that are growing as the logs decay. This is normal and is not related to the issue on the live maples. Second, the black spots on the leaves in summer are likely tar spot. The amount of tar spot that develops usually depends on whether or not a summer is particularly wet or dry and rarely affects the health of the tree overall.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Finally, we believe you have sooty mold on the bark of the live trees\u00a0perhaps due to minor splits in the bark from insects or the sun. Sap leaks out allowing mold to grow. There is no remedy and no need to scrap it off; however, if\u00a0the canopy on the trees starts to die back or you want to harvest the wood, we suggest that you have an arborist look at the trees. Otherwise, in a natural setting like this it is fine to let nature take its course. Here are two sites that will offer further information\u00a0sooty mold 1<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0sooty mold 2<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: I have many maple trees with various amounts of a black substance on their trunks. I am assuming it is a fungus, but am not sure. On trees with just a little, it appears circular and is located near the base of the tree. On trees with a lot of fungus, it almost fully […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[199],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ask"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is the black substance on Maple trees? - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard - University of Maine Cooperative Extension<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is the black substance on Maple trees? - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard - University of Maine Cooperative Extension\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Question: I have many maple trees with various amounts of a black substance on their trunks. I am assuming it is a fungus, but am not sure. On trees with just a little, it appears circular and is located near the base of the tree. On trees with a lot of fungus, it almost fully […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-02-15T13:33:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"twood\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"twood\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"twood\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/#\/schema\/person\/9f0056a6c4a281b4f517e1313fa2c518\"},\"headline\":\"What is the black substance on Maple trees?\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-02-15T13:33:27+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/\"},\"wordCount\":341,\"articleSection\":[\"Ask the Expert\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/\",\"name\":\"What is the black substance on Maple trees? - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard - University of Maine Cooperative Extension\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2022-02-15T13:33:27+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/#\/schema\/person\/9f0056a6c4a281b4f517e1313fa2c518\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What is the black substance on Maple trees?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/\",\"name\":\"Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard\",\"description\":\"Information you can use. Research you can trust.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/#\/schema\/person\/9f0056a6c4a281b4f517e1313fa2c518\",\"name\":\"twood\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fc8c7b5c8d78336ceef76f813278762e12972bcd042b075da831f24d0320bdb3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fc8c7b5c8d78336ceef76f813278762e12972bcd042b075da831f24d0320bdb3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fc8c7b5c8d78336ceef76f813278762e12972bcd042b075da831f24d0320bdb3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"twood\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/author\/twood\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What is the black substance on Maple trees? - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard - University of Maine Cooperative Extension","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What is the black substance on Maple trees? - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard - University of Maine Cooperative Extension","og_description":"Question: I have many maple trees with various amounts of a black substance on their trunks. I am assuming it is a fungus, but am not sure. On trees with just a little, it appears circular and is located near the base of the tree. On trees with a lot of fungus, it almost fully […]","og_url":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/","og_site_name":"Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard","article_published_time":"2022-02-15T13:33:27+00:00","author":"twood","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"twood","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/"},"author":{"name":"twood","@id":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/#\/schema\/person\/9f0056a6c4a281b4f517e1313fa2c518"},"headline":"What is the black substance on Maple trees?","datePublished":"2022-02-15T13:33:27+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/"},"wordCount":341,"articleSection":["Ask the Expert"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/","url":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/","name":"What is the black substance on Maple trees? - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard - University of Maine Cooperative Extension","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/#website"},"datePublished":"2022-02-15T13:33:27+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/#\/schema\/person\/9f0056a6c4a281b4f517e1313fa2c518"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2022\/02\/15\/black-substance-on-maple-trees\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What is the black substance on Maple trees?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/#website","url":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/","name":"Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard","description":"Information you can use. Research you can trust.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/#\/schema\/person\/9f0056a6c4a281b4f517e1313fa2c518","name":"twood","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fc8c7b5c8d78336ceef76f813278762e12972bcd042b075da831f24d0320bdb3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fc8c7b5c8d78336ceef76f813278762e12972bcd042b075da831f24d0320bdb3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fc8c7b5c8d78336ceef76f813278762e12972bcd042b075da831f24d0320bdb3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"twood"},"url":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/author\/twood\/"}]}},"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":199,"label":"Ask the Expert"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"twood","author_link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/author\/twood\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":199,"name":"Ask the Expert","slug":"ask","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":199,"taxonomy":"category","description":"This is the top level category for all posts submitted to our Ask the Expert gardening questions form.","parent":0,"count":652,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":199,"category_count":652,"category_description":"This is the top level category for all posts submitted to our Ask the Expert gardening questions form.","cat_name":"Ask the Expert","category_nicename":"ask","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18738"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18739,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18738\/revisions\/18739"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}