Crimson King Maple Tree

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spro
Posts: 8016
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:04 pm
Location: mid atlantic

Crimson King Maple Tree

Post by spro »

This one is the last one. In 1976 there were two grand Elms. They got the imported elm disease and died. It was a slow death which I tried to prevent but those grand ones, died and became a hazard. I took them down by long ladder and chainsaw. I got help with the other. Digging out the stumps and man the root, maybe tap root was a pleasure. Sleepy little corner 30+ years ago. Sad but they died right there. Didn't really know about Dutch Elm disease. I planted two other trees and they were cool but died quickly. It was a symmetry thing at that time. Beautiful trees and gone.
Then there were the Crimson King Maples. From practically nothing they grew huge. The leaves start out green and quickly turn red. One flat died. That is what I'm talking about and believe me, it takes a lot of juice to talk about a tree.
One doesn't know what another may think about some insipid muse about a tree. That is a whole different thing about healing severe wounds and being greater men afterwards. Wonderful female soldiers. Must focus. It is hard to. Dang I don't want to think about that every minute of my day BUT yes every second of our younger wounded dealing with racked by IEDs AK-47s. Me talking about a tree, is pretty stupid and I know it.
So, do I leave it there?
There was a reason to speak about this one tree. This tree was flat dead for year. I was figuring out how to take it down. I had broke dried branches off it months ago. I noticed that the nubs are being overgrown by bark. The split trunk is being healed by a huge scab. It works very slow and I grabbed a branch which would have broken off. Dang. That branch isn't going anywhere. The whole tree is healing before my eyes if I saw it. It is a mystery to me but it shouldn't be.
rzbill
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 6:56 pm

Re: Crimson King Maple Tree

Post by rzbill »

I hear ya. I grew up with a 500 year old white oak that shaded 2 houses on the farm. 100 foot drip line. 8 feet in diameter at the narrowest part of the trunk. A season of multiple hurricanes back in the 90's first damaged it and then took it out. A sad day. The farm has never been the same even though there are some great 50 year old black walnuts growing near the clearing. Good luck witht the Maple regrowth.
spro
Posts: 8016
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:04 pm
Location: mid atlantic

Re: Crimson King Maple Tree

Post by spro »

Hi rzbill. You are talking huge but I get it too. Big trees know from their root understructure, how to suck out the water from around or under another structure. We are all newbies around the ancient trees. Yes, glad I didn't take the crimson maple down. One year means nothing to a tree. I'm sorry that you lost the Grand one. I'm sorry about a lot of things but that grand tree on your property is sort of special in a tree way. Really.
I hope much, if not some were used as hearths, beams and other things around your property.
In a tree way, it would make sense for it to continue in some form as having been there so long.
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