Do Nails in Trees Turn Them Blue?

Benefits

• Occasionally, a homeowner may have a good reason to hammer nails into a tree. If a tree has lost large chunks of bark due to storm damage or lightning, you can hammer the bark back into place, according to the North Carolina State University Extension. This will protect the tree's cambium layer and may eventually heal. A small hook or nail inserted in a tree for a wire is preferable to wrapping the wire around the tree trunk or branch, which may eventually girdle the tree and kill it.

Blue Trees

• The nail itself will not turn the tree blue although it may act as a causal agent. Rusty nails may encourage rot or disease, which could turn the tree blue. However, a diseased tree usually exhibits other symptoms, such as cracked or splitting bark, yellowing leaves or cankers. Fungus infections come in a variety of colors, such as red, green, black or sometimes blue. It's also possible that the tree's bark has a natural grayish-blue hue that becomes more apparent as the tree matures.

Recommendations

• Inspect the tree for other signs of disease and take a sample of the leaves, bark and twigs to a county extension office. If the tree is diseased, the extension office can identify the problem and offer solutions.

Prevention

• Keep trees healthy by pruning out dead and diseased limbs annually. Provide adequate amounts of water and fertilizer. Healthy trees are less likely to succumb to disease and insect problems. Avoid hammering nails into trees whenever possible and use galvanized nails to avoid rust.