I can't understand why this tree did so well after planting, and the following three years, and now has stopped.

Nor can we with the information given.

Please help us diagnose the issue.

Dan

With almost nothing to go on, and knowing that the NE portion of the country had an extreme winter last year, and these trees aren't that cold hardy, my semi-wild guess is that it got to cold and killed the graphed part of your tree.

Arktrees

Way out of range.

This tree did not exhibit a full bloom after the Winter of 2008, which was not that severe in this area. The tree had a partial leaf out, and few blooms. Right now, the tree has buds on some branches, and none on other branches which appear dead.

Oklahoma redbuds are native to dry hillsides in south central Oklahoma. The soil is rocky limestone with pockets of clay soils.

OK, I'll guess too even though we have precious little information: it was not protected enough to survive this zone, wherever your zone is.

Dan

The soil may be too wet for it to handle? Eastern redbud would have been a better choice.

Or, alternatively to lou, it may have been too dry. Or too high in elevation, depending upon where the tree was planted, it being a mystery and all.

Dan

Another thought...it can take several years for a healthy tree to go downhill if it was planted incorrectly. The clock starts ticking as soon as one or several common planting errors are made. I see it all the time.

My first guess is always improper planting. But we have no way of knowing, as we were given almost zero information to go on.

Dan

I didn't need additional information. I have ESP.

But Dan, isn't everyone on here some sort of "swammy".... wave a green thumb, and be all knowing of the problem, and with an instant fix to save all.

To the original poster, no help can be rendered without much additional info, and since your not forthcoming with that info at this time, you will not be taken seriously. If you don't know how to give additional information, then ask what kind of information do we need to help you. But most common is location, USDA hardiness zone, picture of the tree, picture of the environment, soil conditions and location i.e. wet spot, in a landscape island, in a bed etc, history of planting site etc. Until this information is forthcoming, nothing can be done to help.

Arktrees

I didn't need additional information. I have ESP.

Me three. F'r instance, I knew ark was going to write that 'Swami' bit before it was posted. ;o)

Dan

Here I thought I was being "slightly" creative, and all the while I was just at the mercy of the puppet master. Maybe I need to stop thinking...... :-)

Arktrees

If you live in eastern Pennsylvania, you most likely have acid soil with high moisture retention. If what Dricha says is true, and your plant thrives in dry, rocky, limestone...we have enough information to take a guess.

In western PA, conditions are somewhat different but I doubt conditions are prime for the Oklahoma Redbud.