Newb here, mom's fig tree is probably on the verge of death.
Pictures for reference
http://imgur.com/a/TmQbS

Mom says that the tree has been gradually decaying for years.  The bark keeps cracking and splitting, as seen in pictures.  The tips of some of the branches (higher up) have bright green shoots.  The ones in the pictures shriveled up and died.  All the living shoots are on branches where the cracking hasn't covered all 360 degrees around the branch.

Is there any hope left?  Canker?  I don't see anything wrong with the roots, so probably not nematodes?

I don't know what it is.  Maybe some others on this forum will.  But if that's a family tree, make some cuttings so you can grow a new one.  (Hopefully the cuttings, from a hopefully healthy shoot, won't have whatever ailment is at the bottom of this).  I wonder if it's some parasite.  But make cuttings to root, and try to save at least a clone of the tree.  Good luck.

Mike

Hi
What a huge problem!
Take healthy cutting ASAP!
Then after that please post a closeup picture of the bark and a picture of the wood after you peel a part of the bark. I suspect worms, but will wait for your pictures to say what's wrong.

This looks similar to damage on one of our apple trees.  It's a new tree, and we never painted the trunk to prevent sunburn.  All trunks are now painted, but borers got to the tree and the trunk is peeling exactly like yours. JD found 2 fat larvae and killed them, and we are hoping to correct this issue.  We may lose the tree, but it's only a year old, so we learned our lesson.

Agree, take as many healthy shoots as you can and try to root them.

Suzi

It could be sunburn ? I have read a few articles on white washing the trunk of a fig tree to protect it from the sun ? 

http://tastylandscape.com/2014/05/09/garden-success-heat-wave-3-key-tips/




https://suite.io/linda-gentile/2fdq2mv


 

Hi pierrecurie,

Looks like that some branches were heavily scalded. It would be interesting to check the cardinal  directions those affected areas are facing... Looks that the opposite branch areas are exempt of burns and looking healthy and strong !

When I have this sort of  problems I check my  old 'bible' ,...

http://archive.org/stream/figitshistorycu00conggoog/figitshistorycu00conggoog_djvu.txt

and usually find some good guidance.

Alex Suchan in his long 'hands on'  tutorial on grafting walnuts (most methods applicable to figs) also
alerts for the nuisance from full sun exposure and guides us on the best remedies.

Hi pierrecurie,
Welcome to the forum.
I would start some airlayers on that tree, as if she was mine, that one would be removed and replaced.

In which usda zone are you ?
This could be sunburn or frostburn .
Did you cut a nearby tree or prune it hard the last years ?
Is the wood fence behind new ? Are you making barbecues nearby ?

It could be a nutrient problem, so a problem at root level.
That crack in the middle of all branches is not good.
That tree could live like that ... But honestly, I would replace it.
As the tree is still alive and because it is already actively growing, airlayering is the easiest way to go IMO .
You could even save those sad looking branches ...

Get Grafting compound,
or something similar and cover tree and damaged branches, use any paper tape to cover it- like you doing in grafting process and you will see improvement.
Before you start to look into other problems with tree you have to "repair" a bark. I had such problem last year, not as bad as your tree, and it was "green and shiny"
 in few months. It will be a big job, but after all it is a family tree!

 

Thanks for the fast reply.

http://imgur.com/a/zbHSx
2nd pic is 1st pic with more bark peeled off.

I can't disprove worms, but I see no evidence of worm activity.
I read something about sunburn on these forums, but figured that wasn't an issue since I'm in San Diego, and there are no seasons here.  Now that I think of it, the damage is a bit more severe facing away from the house (south?), but on some of the branches, it clearly extends all the way around.  Is painting now too late to be useful?

Airlayers?  Maybe I should google.

I don't think we've cut any nearby trees, but now that this tree is dying, we've been pruning several dead branches.
The fence nearby is newer than the tree's ailment (decade?), but still a year or so old.  It's also plastic.  We haven't bbq'd in years, and don't think the neighbors are either.
If nutrient problem, what is it missing?

So I cover the whole tree in grafting compound?  Do I peel off the damaged bark first?

I also forgot to mention our gopher problem, but digging suggests that its tunnels aren't close enough to the tree.

As for rescuing shoots... I cut off a 5inch long segment of branch, pot it, and hope it roots?

Thanks

Hi,
For airlayers, you can search this forum.
Check that one for example : http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/black-mission-tj-seedling-airlayers-7200155?highlight=airlayer&pid=1285789488#post1285789488


The idea is of putting dirt fastened in a container against a stem (stem passing through the container) and roots should appear in one or two months .