brailzian raintree

I have a small one from a bonsai nursery i got last year.... the bark is peeling off at the base of the trunk... what causes this and how can i correct it ??? also how can i get it to thicken up some ??? thanks john

Hey John,

In my limited experience, Raintree bark will peel as it ages. You can remove it if you want to but you may risk damaging the cambium layer underneath. To thicken, let it run free. Be careful though, so you don't get reverse taper. This tree backbuds like crazy when it's nice and healthy. Mine are outdoors now and will only be brought in if temps run south of 50°F. Do you have a picture of it? There is also the possibility that you may be experiencing die back. This tree is also notorious for die-back. Always leave a stub, whether it's a root or branch. I learned that lesson the HARD way.

Good luck with it and keep us posted.
Sam

SAM,,, Thanks for your information.. i,ll not pull any bark off.. the tree is healthy as far as i can tell.. we will see what happens... thanks take care john

I have two brazilian rain trees and couldn't claim to know a lot about them, but if they're anything like chinese elms, loose bark could end up being a hiding/nesting place for pests. So far, I'm not aware of any major pests that target BRT but as a precaution I remove any loose/easily removed bark.

I'll second the comments on die back, and one of the biggest things to know regarding styling. My larger BRT had some foliage that 'went gold' but began pushing new growth shortly after like it was on steroids. They're amazing growers.

One of the attractions of the BRT is the peeling bark, this adds interest to the tree. As the BRT grows it sloughs off bark muck like a Crape Myrtle. The mother tree in Jupiter, FL was almost white all over the trunk. I carefully remove the loose bark from my trees.

Thanks Billy,,, I did not knowthey sheded bark..this is just about 1 inch or so at the base of the tree.. guess it is ok then..take care john