Dying Twisted Lavender (Cercis canadensis) in Northern UT - please help!

kwalker

We purchased a Twisted Lavender tree 6 weeks ago; it is 8' tall, trunk is appx 1" - 1.5" diameter. It looked so great in the nursery but has been dying ever since we planted it.
The tree is in full sun, watered once a day for 10 - 15 min. Weather has been hot; mid-90's.
First the leaves turned yellow; then they dried up and died, and the twig-size ends of the small branches are dying too.
We thought the soil was holding too much water, it's very clay-ish, so we dug the hole around the tree bigger and added fill dirt. It still seemed too wet, so we dug a 12-ft drainage trench slanting from 1.5' - 3', gravel underneath, 3" pipe with holes throughout to pull water away from the tree. It has continued to die. Any suggestions?

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Eric Frei

Flood injury is usually expressed through changes in the foliage. One symptom in particular, chlorosis, is commonly caused by flood injuries. Chlorosis is the yellowing of leaves caused by a decrease in the amount of chlorophyll (green pigment) in the leaves. This symptom can look like a symptom of a disease but is often caused by non-disease problems, such as excessive water. A professional arborist can determine if chlorosis is caused by a pest (which can be controlled), or by water damage.

When flood conditions are prolonged, root dieback occurs. During root dieback, soil is so saturated that there is not enough oxygen available to the tree roots. Without the proper balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide, roots can’t survive. Eventually the tree is not able to absorb adequate moisture, despite the flood condition. The tree will exhibit symptoms similar to leaf scorch, where a tree’s leaves turn
brown and die due to a lack of moisture in the leaves. The symptoms usually start at the top of the tree or on the ends of branches, and spread throughout the entire crown. The symptoms are often more severe on the side of the tree facing the prevailing winds.

Symptoms of flood injury, in the order that they develop on the foliage, are:
• slight wilting or drooping of the foliage;
• yellowing and browning (necrosis) of leaf edges;
• browning in the center of the leaf.

Some other tips here. Watering Trees

It is difficult to tell if a plant is too dry or wet by looking at it, because symptoms are similar for both conditions -- wilted leaves, yellowing and defoliation. You must check the roots.

The way to monitor your soil is to use a dowel or long screwdriver. If you sink it into moist soil that you dug for the trees, it should press in easily, and you might be able to detect moisture on the end of the rod when you pull it up. Drought conditions usually make it difficult to sink a probe into the soil. When the soil is moist, do not water. When it's dry, sprinkle. An inch of water caught in a dish or tin can on the surface translates into percolation about four to eight inches deep.

Avoid placing an overabundance of compost into a small, poorly drained planting hole. It acts like a basin and holds water. The result will be a soggy, rotting root ball. Dig your planting hole as wide as possible and mix all the native soil with about one-third leaf mold or other composted organic material before replacing it. To ensure drainage, install the plants high; up to a third of the root ball on woody plants can stand above the existing grade. Cover the roots standing above ground with the soil and compost mix you made, and leave a ditch to catch rainwater around the outer edge of the planting.

For plants that are newly installed from containers, monitor the moisture in the area of the root ball. Bound-up roots that are growing in mixes can stay dry while the soil around them is moist.

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treeseer

Yes, please post a picture of the first major root coming off the stem.

TreeSpecialist

First time I've heard of an eastern red bud being called a "twisted lavender."

They're susceptible to a variety of pathogens and are relatively short lived.

You're likely onto something considering the problems you have with drainage.

Throw this tree away, re-dig the hole, fill it with water and see how long it takes to empty completely. Most should drain in 15 to 20 minutes (or even faster.)

If it takes several hours, you'll need a tree more tolerant of wet conditions.

If it takes more than a day, you'll need to start over and establish some French drains in you yard.

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Garry Brockley

just a quick question at what time of the day are you watering and are you spraying the leaves, as applying hard tap water to leaves in a hot sun will not do it any good either.

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pcarborist

Only if you have sand.

If you're doing a standard "perk" test i.e. a hole 12" deep, soil drainage for a loamy type soil, which is desirable for most plants, is 1/4" to 1.0" per hour. In other words a 12" hole should take between 3-12 hrs to drain. Kwalker, I live in No Utah, so I know what you're up against. I would do this simple perk test, dig a hole 12 " deep near where the tree is planted, fill the hole with water and time how long it drains. If it takes more than 24hrs, you've got a drainage problem. If you have a drainage problem and the tree still has some green leaves, I would not give up on the plant rather I would replant the tree 6" high with good screened topsoil sloping away from the rootcrown to help facilitate drainage. Finally, cover the rootball with mulch and cut back on your watering. If this doesn't help consider planting elsewhere or design for a bog environment.

ppratt

Thanks so much for this post and especially the response about overwatering. What you have described is the problem I'm having exactly! In fact, that's why I'm on this site. I planted two twisted redbuds in the spring and they're dying from the top. I thought it wasn't getting enough water, so I've been watering it a lot! Now I realize I have been overwatering. I've lost a main branch from the top. Now, the sides are going and the leaves look "rusty" on the edges. I think it's dying. I'm sad because I loved them so much and paid a pretty price at a nice nursery. I'm wondering how much sun they can take.... mine are in a full hot sun southern exposure backyard. My roses love it, but the twisted lavendar (which said "full sun/partial sun" on the tree tag, can't seem to take it. Do you think the hot sun can too much for it, especially as a young tree?

Harp32Wil

Yes, please post a picture of the first major root coming off the stem

Brent Ferris

Generally redbud does better in part sun vs full sun.

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