Hi,

Are both photos from this year, and are there two wounds (the wide one and the thin crack) or one? I’m unclear if the second photo shows the healed damage in the first photo.

Thanks.

Hi,

I'm not sure of the cause; it looks almost like something collided with the tree. The photo with the big wound appears to show nicks on the tissue beneath the bark, and that could be from wildlife.

If the narrow crack is on the south/southwest side of the tree, that could be sunscald.

Leaving the tube on in summer is a bad idea, it can "cook" bark and lead to rot. Because the tree is not girdled, it may recover. The tree will close these wounds itself, you shouldn't paint it or seal it. 

In summer and fall you should protect the trunk with a ring of hardware cloth (like chicken wire with small quarter-inch gaps in the wire; the holes are small enough that no rodents can get to the tree). When it gets cold, use the tube again to protect the tree over the winter. A white tube is fine. Remove once it's warm enough that grass starts growing.

I'm assuming the branches of the tree look healthy. If not, this page will help you figure out what's going on with the tree:

https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/deciduous/crabapple/

I hope this helps. Good luck.