I am trying to find out what could be wrong with my mother's tree. It was planted about 5 years ago and is a Oklahoma white redbud tree- Cercis canadensis 'Alba'. We are located in central NC and drought has not been an issue lately, if anything we have had an excessive amount of rain the past few years overall. Last year in the fall the leaves turned black instead of yellow. This spring, as shown in the pictures, it has only leafed out in places and only on the tips of the branches. I broke off one of the twigs that did not leaf out and noticed it was still green, but the buds turned brown and never opened up. I should note that some of the branches are completely dead and not green under the bark, but most are still green with no leaves. Anyone have any idea what it could be? Wondering if it's the dreaded verticullium wilt disease but hoping it's something else and I can save it. Thanks in advance!
Name: Al F. 5b-6a mid-MI Knowledge counters trepidation.
Looks like it might be planted too deep. It's very possible that cambium tissues were compromised by rot organisms and the root system lost viability due to a lack of photosynthate (food/energy).
Was/is there a conspicuous graft union on the tree and can you tell if it failed? I doubt that's the cause because a failed graft union usually results in epicormic sprouts from the understock, but it's a potentiality that probably should be eliminated.
Al
* Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for. ~ Socrates
* Change might not always bring growth, but there is no growth without change.
* Mother Nature always sides with the hidden flaw.
