Mango tree bark cracking

[Partho]

I have 6 year old mango tree in Sydney Australia. In last 6 months the bark is cracking (picture attached). Does anybody know how to overcome this? Tree is otherwise healthy and has given fruit in the past seasons. Cracking is only on the western side which is more exposed to sun. Would appreciate any help!

 

[Chuck]

Mango's have tender bark. If the temps go below 32F the bark will crack and split. Hot direct sunlight will scorch the bark as is what has happened to your tree. Wrap the tree on the sunny side with cardboard or cloth. This is what the commercial growers in South Texas do. Otherwise they will not survive

 

[Partho]

Thank you for your help. Do you think I should wrap the tree all through the year or only in the winter when the sun is low and seems to directly impact on the western side of the tree,

 

[Chuck]

Thank you for your help. Do you think I should wrap the tree all through the year or only in the winter when the sun is low and seems to directly impact on the western side of the tree,

Is it happening because of the temperature or because of the intense sunlight. In the northern hemisphere the sunshine is less intense in the winter than in the summer. They do it here only in the summer and if it is going to get cold they will wrap the entire trunk and use smudge pots. Could it be possible that the damage is being done in your summer and not showing up until now?

 

[Partho]

Because the cracking is only on sun-exposed side (western side) I think it is happening because of intense sunlight. Over here the temperature never drops to 0 Celsius (=32F), although in the winter months (Jun-Aug) at night it can be 3-4 Celsius. In the summer the usual day time maximum is 28 to 32 Celsius (=82 to 90F). But because of the tree canopy and the sun being higher in the sky in summer I don't think the tree trunk gets as much direct sunlight as in the winter. So I think the cracking is caused by the angle of the sunlight in winter, or possibly late summer/autumn and early spring.

 

[Corzhens]

Mango's have tender bark. If the temps go below 32F the bark will crack and split. Hot direct sunlight will scorch the bark as is what has happened to your tree. Wrap the tree on the sunny side with cardboard or cloth. This is what the commercial growers in South Texas do. Otherwise they will not survive

I think this is a good reply to that cracking bark of the mango tree. Our 30-year old mango tree sometimes suffer from cracking bark in some portion where there is too much moist. What we do is to brush the bark so the moist that's clinging to the bark will evaporate. But what we use is a brush with soft bristles only. I hope your mango tree will continue giving you fruits. Ours had been felled by a typhoon last year although it still bore 4 fruits.