Something is killing my hickory trees

[DanCorcoran]

One year the tree was apparently healthy, the next it was dead. While splitting the wood this week, I noticed that there are many jet-black dots (holes the size of a pinhead) in the sides of the splits. These are not on the outside surface of the tree, but on the face of the wood after it has been split.

I didn't think to get photos before leaving the cabin this morning, but will get some on my next visit. In the meantime, I thought I'd see if anyone on this site has an "aha" moment.

I noticed that there is another dead hickory 15-20 feet from where this one was. I found the first tree dead last spring, now the new one is dead this spring.

 

[thewoodlands]

One year the tree was apparently healthy, the next it was dead. While splitting the wood this week, I noticed that there are many jet-black dots (holes the size of a pinhead) in the sides of the splits. These are not on the outside surface of the tree, but on the face of the wood after it has been split.

I didn't think to get photos before leaving the cabin this morning, but will get some on my next visit. In the meantime, I thought I'd see if anyone on this site has an "aha" moment.

I noticed that there is another dead hickory 15-20 feet from where this one was. I found the first tree dead last spring, now the new one is dead this spring.

(broken link removed to http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestHealth/documents/HickoryMortalityFactsheet.pdf)

 

[DanCorcoran]

(broken link removed to http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestHealth/documents/HickoryMortalityFactsheet.pdf)

Thanks, I'll check the bark on the one that is standing dead when I return to the cabin. It looks like a clearly distinguishable pattern.