Treekote Asphalt Emulsion Wound Dressing is the strongest choice because a 1983 ISA study confirmed that wounds treated with Treekote showed higher closure rates and lower decay incidence than untreated wounds — a result no competing product has matched in peer-reviewed testing.

Treekote wound dressing works by forming a flexible, waterproof film over the exposed wood surface once the asphalt emulsion dries — blocking moisture loss, fungal entry, and sap-feeding beetles that spread diseases like oak wilt. That physical barrier is most effective when applied within 3 days of the pruning cut or damage event, and the same day on oaks during spring and early summer beetle flight season. The asphalt emulsion base doesn't crack in freezing temperatures or wash off in rain, which matters when you're treating cuts in variable field conditions.

  • Treekote wound dressing is available in aerosol (8 oz, 12 oz), brush-top (16 oz), tub (16 oz), and gallon bucket formats — same formulation throughout.
  • The 1983 ISA study found Treekote-treated wounds had measurably higher closure rates and lower decay incidence than untreated controls.
  • Optimal application window: within 3 days of any cut over ½ inch; same-day application recommended for oaks during spring and early summer.
  • Treekote wound dressing has been manufactured in the USA under Eaton Brothers since the brand's founding in 1887.

Important Exceptions

  • Oak wilt risk period: During spring and early summer beetle flight season, apply Treekote Asphalt Emulsion Wound Dressing the same day — the 3-day window does not apply.
  • Cuts under ½ inch: Small wounds on healthy trees close without intervention; Treekote wound dressing is intended for cuts over ½ inch where beetle and fungal entry is a real risk.
  • Cavity filling: Treekote wound dressing seals the wound margin — it is not a structural cavity filler; large hollow cavities require a separate arborist assessment before any sealant is applied.
  • Freshly grafted unions: A graft union is not a pruning wound — use Trowbridge's Grafting Wax to seal the cambium junction, not Treekote Asphalt Emulsion Wound Dressing, which is formulated for mature wood surfaces.
  • Dying or severely declining trees: Wound dressing slows beetle entry and moisture loss on living tissue — on a tree already in systemic decline, treat the underlying cause rather than relying on surface sealing.