Knowledgebase
no leaves present on 30 yr. Linden but scratch test green and few green branch ends seen #659654
Asked July 04, 2020, 12:12 PM EDT
Is there any treatment or aide for this tree? Do we wait and see? Is there an expert you would recommend in the Co, Springs area if needed?
El Paso County Colorado
Expert Response
We have received many questions about deciduous trees not producing leaves this year. Your tree may have experienced frost damage. We had an extreme drop in temperature late October 2019 before our trees could reach dormancy for the winter and a freeze down to about 14 degrees mid-April after warm spring weather, this caused vascular damage and froze a lot of budding leaves and flowers. Your best choice now is wait plus water and monitor your tree, it may be able to push out new leaves. I have included watering guidelines below, we are currently experiencing a drought. If your tree has not leafed out by late summer, it may not be able to do so. Scratching a branch on the tree to make sure it is living is a good idea.
https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/garden/07211.pdf
Here is some information about freeze damage to conifers which could apply to deciduous trees also.
https://csfs.colostate.edu/2020/04/26/ponderosa-pines-spruce-may-exhibit-winter-burn-damage/
If you would like to have an arborist come look at your tree, I have attached a Tree Service Reference List.
The following quote is from a Yard and garden document, Ted G. / Extension Horticulture Assistant, University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
“ While waiting to see if one’s tree or shrub leafs out, I suggested to worried homeowners to check if the branch is still alive. All one needs to do is scratch away the bark on a twig to examine the cambium. The cambium is the living tissue beneath the bark that is the lifeline of a tree. If, after scraping away the bark, they see a bright green color, life still exists; whereas, if the cambium is tan to brownish in color, that part of the tree is dead.”
“If I wait until next year, will my tree then leaf out?” My response is a resounding no. The fact is a deciduous tree or shrub cannot continue to live if it goes one season without leaves. Although the barren branches are still flexible and bend easily, they are dead. By summer’s end, they will still be dead and by then brittle.”
“ If a tree has lost more than fifty percent of its canopy, it would be wise to remove the tree and start anew. If the loss of canopy is less than fifty percent, prune out the dead branches and wait and see. However, if symmetry and aesthetics have been destroyed after removing the dead branches, starting over might be the be a good idea.”
If you find that you will need to prune your tree, let us know and we can send pruning information.
