Young, thin-barked trees across the Denver area are vulnerable to sunscald once the leaves drop. On sunny winter afternoons, the south and southwest side of a trunk warms up and the bark tissue becomes active, then freezes hard again after sunset.
That cycle can kill a strip of bark and leave long, sunken cracks that show up in spring. Maples, lindens, honeylocusts, and fruit trees planted in the last few years are especially at risk in Englewood, Littleton, and Centennial yards, where clear, sunny winter days are common. Damaged bark heals slowly and can open the door to decay.
Light-colored tree wrap applied after leaf drop and removed in spring reflects winter sun and evens out bark temperatures. Wrap left on through summer can trap moisture and invite insects, so timing matters at both ends. Bear Creek's ISA Certified Arborists can tell which young trees on a property face the most exposure.
#TreeCare #SunscaldPrevention #LittletonCO #FrontRangeTrees
A real photo of a young maple, linden, or honeylocust trunk in a client yard with light-colored tree wrap applied, or a close-up of an old sunscald crack on the south side of a trunk. Authentic photos strongly outperform stock images.
Canva text suggestion: "Protect Young Trunks From Winter Sun" or "Wrap After Leaf Drop, Remove in Spring"