Peach Tree Question

[Pepperhead]

Hey all, my mom has a ~10-year old peach tree. Yesterday I noticed some strange reddish sap-looking jelly peppering the trunk and branches.

She told me that she neglected to support one of the branches when it was full of peaches, and it snapped. Not sure how long after until she sprayed that black sealer on it. She believes something has bored into it. As you can see, the broken branch has nothing, but everything else looks to be growing just fine so far.

Is this a thing we need to deal with (or even can), not an issue, or is this now the beginning of the end? In the Texas hill country here.

Thank you for your time!

 

[Chuck]

Hey all, my mom has a ~10-year old peach tree. Yesterday I noticed some strange reddish sap-looking jelly peppering the trunk and branches.

She told me that she neglected to support one of the branches when it was full of peaches, and it snapped. Not sure how long after until she sprayed that black sealer on it. She believes something has bored into it. As you can see, the broken branch has nothing, but everything else looks to be growing just fine so far.

Is this a thing we need to deal with (or even can), not an issue, or is this now the beginning of the end? In the Texas hill country here.View attachment 63614View attachment 63615View attachment 63616

Thank you for your time!

That tree is basically a goner. Peach trees have an average lifespan of about 12 productive years. This tree is 1/2 dead now, possibly more. That broken branch isn't the only dead part. Anything without leaves is dead. That sap could be from borers but not necessarily. Peach trees do this in decline. I would cut it down and use the wood to BBQ with and put another tree of some kind in its place.

 

[Pepperhead]

Thanks a lot, Chuck. I'll let her know.