Can we talk about wound paints on pruning cuts?

I saw a 3 year difference on a maple in St. Louis where I left a cut untreated versus one where I used sealant, and the untreated one healed way faster. Anyone else finding that modern research backs skipping the paint for most situations?

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fisher.diana1mo ago

Actually, the research on this is pretty settled now and has been for a while. Most arborists and plant pathologists agree that wound paints don't help and can even do more harm than good. The untreated maple you saw likely healed faster because the tree's natural compartmentalization process wasn't blocked by a sealant that traps moisture and decay underneath. Modern studies show that trees have their own defense systems and sealing a cut just interferes with that. For most cuts, leaving them open to dry out is the better approach. The only real exception is for oaks in oak wilt areas where a paint might stop beetles from spreading the disease.