Q: I am very concerned about several trees on my property. I just moved here and have never had to care for a yard. The bark is peeling and the color underneath is orange. Is this caused by a fungus?

A: I am so glad you called me before you treated the trees with a fungicide. I am familiar with crape myrtles and river birches. Both of these trees normally shed their bark and in fact, are prized for the coloration revealed once the bark is shed. These trees are deciduous, which means they drop all their leaves during the cooler months. The variation in colors of their bark makes them interesting once the leaves are totally gone.

We can grow several other trees which have unusual bark characteristics such as the Sycamore. The bark on sycamore trees may be very white or appear as variations of green and cream giving it a “camouflage” pattern. Perhaps you are fortune enough to have a Sweet Gum Tree or Winged Elm with the corky growths along the twigs and stems. The Hercules-club tree, also known the Toothache Tree, has cone-shaped spines on the trunk. You might consider taking a nature hike at Ft. Clinch on Amelia Island to see one of these trees – well worth the small entrance fee.

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