Would you agree my redbud is actually a deadbud?

last year

Long story short, this B&B'ed tree was purchased for me by a friend late last year, picked it up from her last weekend. I suspected it might be dead but I went ahead and planted it anyway. It is an Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis).

This is what she looks like today. I see a few rosy flower buds at the tippy-top, but all the other branches look dead to me. I don't see any swollen leaf buds; heck I don't see any leaf buds at all this first weekend in May. I bent a few thin upper branches and SNAP! they went. So I'm calling it DOA, but maybe I'm jumping the gun?

Normally I'd just leave it be to see what it does, but in my optimism l I planted it right smack in the middle of a sight line out of the front window -- so if I'm going to replace it I'm going to do it now, I see it every time I look out the window. I'm only out $20 + my (our) labor but I do hate to give up on it so quickly. It's the small amount of flower buds that are throwing me for a loop on this one.

Based on the photos, what do you guys think?

(it's not quite as close to the overhead line as it looks, it's the way I took the photos)

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porkchop_z5b_MI
Original Author

last year

Update: I dug it out, replaced with a paperbark maple. I've been wanting another one for quite some time and there she was at the nursery this morning. :0)

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Comments (13)

suzy jackson
last year
I hate to comment on areas I know nothing about but my cercis has flowered and leafed up by now...and this has not been a particularly anomalous winter/spring here in the UK. Am also looking at a recently planted cericis siliaquestrum which is usually a bit slower than the canadensis...so nope, I honestly can't quite see anything springing into delayed life. How are your caryopteris? Are they not leafing out around the same time (mine are)?
porkchop_z5b_MI thanked suzy jackson
porkchop_z5b_MI
Original Author
last year
A few of the caryopteris are leafing out, but not all. They are persnickety plants -- where I am, anyway.
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laceyvail 6A, WV
last year
last modified: last year
I'd never plant a redbud that large. The smaller the better and they grow fast. However, leaf buds are completely invisible until after the plant finishes flowering.
porkchop_z5b_MI thanked laceyvail 6A, WV
katob Z6ish, NE Pa
last year
It is kind of early, but... snapping branches is never a good sign.

If it's a named variety I would be more inclined to wait for that hail Mary but for the straight species maybe not as much, although it does look like you planted a nice specimen.

If it does leaf out here and there then you have that even bigger decision of how long to wait until it looks decent again. I planted a Forest Pansy maybe three years ago in the summer and most of it died over its first winter. The first year regrowth was awkward, the second more promising and now in the third it looks like a tree again and is blooming well. Good luck with yours, maybe a nice rain and a warm day will give it a good kickstart.
porkchop_z5b_MI thanked katob Z6ish, NE Pa
porkchop_z5b_MI
Original Author
last year
"I'd never plant a redbud that large."

It was only $20 -- nursery was permanently closing up shop, friend picked it up for me while she was there.
roxanna
last year
last modified: last year
A trick I use to determine if woody plants have any life in them when they don't seem to is to scratch a small patch of bark on the afflicted twig/branch. If there is some green showing, then the plant has not completely died (yet).

On the other hand, as your redbud is in a prime line of sight in this condition, perhaps you could move it to another spot and cross your fingers. Then get something healthier for this spot!

Good luck. It's frustrating, isn't it?!
porkchop_z5b_MI thanked roxanna
Jay 6a Chicago
last year
Did it have any sick or dying branches last year. There was the cicada armageddon. Surely there are redbuds near you to compare with? I once had a redbud that mysteriously died at about that same size.
porkchop_z5b_MI thanked Jay 6a Chicago
porkchop_z5b_MI
Original Author
last year
"Did it have any sick or dying branches last year"

No clue. I just planted it.
maackia
last year
Did you plant it? I’d be curious to know what the roots looked like. IIn any case, I don’t think there’s much you can do but wait. I hate to bet on death, but that’s where my money is.
porkchop_z5b_MI thanked maackia
L Clark (zone 4 WY)
last year
It looks dead to me, but impossible to tell in pics. hope it pulls through
porkchop_z5b_MI thanked L Clark (zone 4 WY)
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
Agree the pix are insufficient to be sure. Close ups of buds would make it easier. But if twigs snap rather than bend the outlook isn't rosy. Btw the green under the bark test is not very reliable since the colour can remain for done time after death.
porkchop_z5b_MI thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
BillMN-z4a
last year
If it bothers you pcmx, get rid of it.

Sometimes you get a deal on a reduced priced tree and sometimes you get what you pay for.

Don't let it stress you out. Plant something healthy in that spot and watch it grow.

The sooner the better.
porkchop_z5b_MI thanked BillMN-z4a