Need help diagnosing eastern redbud problem

9 years ago

I got this sapling in November from my local garden club. Problems started shortly after leafing out this February. No flowers were produced this year which isn't all that odd considering the age of the tree. Leafing started out strong for about two weeks, but then the tips of the new leaves and stems started to turn black at the ends near the top of the tree. Leaves near the bottom continued growing strong. Since then, the black tips have begun to spread, leaves have started yellowing and then browning more and more.

Possibilities I've considered:

1) Nitrogen burn: I use a slow release high nitrogen fertilizer on my nearby loblolly pines in the late winter to encourage new growth. There may have been run off.

2) Canker: There are no telltale signs on the bark of the trunk, but the leaf symptoms seem about right.

3) Root rot / root damage

4) Some type of fungus?

5) High soil PH

What are your thoughts?

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Comments (5)

edlincoln
9 years ago
If it was planted in November my first thoughts are it was root bound or planted too deep. Could you take a picture of the root flare? What was the root system like?
Ryan (z9a NE Houston)
Original Author
9 years ago
I always make sure to break up the soil of any container plant and spread the roots out, and it was planted level with the ground. I can say for certain it wasn't planted wrong.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
i think of a sapling as under a foot or two ... how big is this thing.. lets see a pic of the whole plant ...

never heard of using high nitro as a conifer food.. let alone slo release.. but maybe this is a local TX thing??

you have a great list of way out there potential problems... most likely.. it severe transplant shock .. or poor stock to begin with .... of which you dont list ...

how did it come.. potted.. BB .. bare root.. how did you plant it ... what did you throw in the hole.. how did you maintain water over the winter ...

ken
Ryan (z9a NE Houston)
Original Author
9 years ago
In answer to your questions:

The tree is about 5' tall.

It was potted in a 3 trade gallon container. It was dormant when planted. The hole was back filled with native soil from sight and some fallen leaves (since it was fall).

There were no soil amendments added. The hole was three times the width of the pot, and it was planted level with the ground. The tree was not root bound when planted.

I water every 3 days over winter with a sprayer pointed at the base of the tree, and avoid overhead watering when possible. I make sure the ground is well saturated, 1-3 minutes of soaking at each tree I have.
edlincoln
9 years ago
Well, that sounds right. Only thing I can quibble about is that might be a bit more water then this tree needs in the dormant season...but if that were the problem I would think it wouldn't have looked good when it first leafed out.

High soil PH seems unlikely...I've never heard this tree listed as being especially picky about PH, and there are pines nearby...I'd think they would show signs of PH problems first. However, that one is easy to test...do a soil test. It will tell you the exact PH, and might help you figure out what precisely your pines need in the way of fertilizer while you are at it.

Nitrogen burn is always a possibility.