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| Peeling Bark |
Some trees also have exfoliating bark. These photos show my crapemyrtle, but other trees with exfoliating bark include river birch, paperbark maple, and shagbark hickory. As these trees grow, the outer layer of their bark is split and eventually replaced with then new bark underneath. The difference in color and the texture of the bark adds interest, especially in winter. The process also helps the tree rid itself of scales, insects, bacteria, fungi, lichens, and mosses.
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| Bark Debris |
As far as the bark on my crapemyrtle goes, I don't find it nearly as appealing as the exfoliating bark on a river birch. It's, honestly, pretty messy. You're not supposed to peel the bark off to help the tree along, so a lot of times, the bark on my crapemyrtle just hangs there. When it comes down, it piles up in the joint of the trunks or makes a mess in the bed. However, the patterns that are left once it comes off are really beautiful and add a lot to the already attractive multi-trunk structure.
