very sick looking poinciana

heal

When we moved into this house 10 years ago the huge poinciana tree in the back yard was a feature. In the last year or so it has become more and more unhealthy looking. It often has very large branches that just break off and has a huge amount of dead wood in it. In our area there are not many arborists that I can find and we are worried that we are going to lose the tree. Does this seem natural for these trees. I have been held up a bit so now almost out of time to finish this but will attach 1 photo that gives a bit of an idea.

Cheers and thanks

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Eric Frei

Looks to me the tree was previously lopped and lots of the epicormics (regrowth) is now dying and shedding plus getting shaded out.

Not an ideal form now but can have pruning I call "crown restoration" which means removing dead, dying and diseased wood, pruning for form and strength.

That coupled with some root treatment I'm sure it will be a jolly ole tree for years to come.

Here's some trees I have worked on.

Veronica's poinciana

In posts 68 and 69 here you'll some heavy pruning, and then some 15 months later you can see how well it recovered.

Juvenile poinciana problems - case study

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heal

Hey thanks for the reply. Initially I was going to say that no it hadn't been lopped and then it struck me that yes we have lopped bits off it here and there over the years because there were times when it was dragging on the ground. ihave attached a photo which is the best I could find in digital form at the moment to try and show how magnificant it was a few years back. I have years ago planted some bird nest ferns and some dietes and bromeliads around it because it is on a slope and the soil all washes off in heavy rain. Should I take all these away? I appreciate what you said but I still don't really know how to go about fixing it. Another problem which it has always had but which has been worse lately is that very large branches just drop off although they dont seem to be broken or dead. Have also attached a photo of one that came down 2 days ago. I appreciate any advice you can give and will try and find someone nearby who knows what they are talking about. Actually I phoned someone who advertised themselves as an aborist about 6 months ago (a couple of times) but they didn't get back to me. Obviously not interested
Cheers

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Eric Frei

We've always pondered that poincianas left to their own means would grow really long horizontal drooping branches that then would touch the ground (support prop) and climb skywards again. The ground contact taking some strain off the branch.

You tree appears to have very long low horizontal branches that need propping or they will break under their own weight.

This si a species I suggest requires early training and formative pruning. I notice a lot of cuts on branches in the typical lions tail fashion, people cutting off inner branches but leaving the tip out there. Often I try to reduce the branch lengths knowing their growth habit, trying to puch them back where possible but stimm adhering to AS4373 standards of pruning.

Frankly, this tree is too complex for a home-owner or a forum to handle with pictures and words, you need a professional qualified experienced arborist onsite, pay for his time/advice, pay for pruning and treatment.

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