Sick Eastern Red Bud - Ask Extension
I have an Eastern Redbud, approximately 15 years old. The leaves this year are withering and be ark along lower trunk is not looking good.
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Sick Eastern Red Bud #794520
Asked June 06, 2022, 3:06 PM EDT
I have an Eastern Redbud, approximately 15 years old. The leaves this year are withering and be ark along lower trunk is not looking good.
There are "ditch lilies" that.have been crowding out underneath the tree..
2022 blossoms were good, but the immediately afterwards leaves are small and withered. There are also some small dead branches.
The tree faces south and has full sun.
I am enclosing photos and hope you can give me some direction.
Kent County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello Maria,
Redbud trees often lose their outer layer of bark as they get older and more mature. Once the outer layer falls off, inner layers of orange bark are revealed. Cold, dry weather often loosens bark, resulting in large amounts of bark being shed the
following summer.
Cankers are the most serious disease problem of redbud.
These fungi infect major limbs and the trunk cutting off the flow of nutrients. Most canker fungi require that the tree be under stress and have an open wound for infection. The most common stress factor is summer drought. Dieback/Canker is the most destructive disease that attacks Redbud trees. It is first seen
as a tree's leaves wilt and turn brown. Often cankers can be seen on branches and twigs. The cankers can either be seen as visible cankers on the surface of the branches or as dark sunken areas with black centers. I don’t see this in either of your images
My concern is that you might have Verticillium Wilt - because of your wilting leaves, small dead branches, and thinning canopy that I see in your images - Verticillium wilt is a typically fatal disease that affects a wide range of deciduous woody ornamentals. Trees most commonly and severely affected are maple and ash. Other trees and shrubs such as barberry, catalpa, elm, lilac, linden, smoke tree, and redbud are susceptible. There is no fungicide treatment available to control verticillium wilt. However, some other measures may be taken to prolong the life and to improve the aesthetic value of an infected tree. Management of this disease includes proper pruning, watering, and fertilizing. Symptoms of verticillium wilt can be confusing because they are so variable. They include marginal scorch and complete wilting of leaves on individual branches in the crowns of potential hosts. Symptoms can occur at any time of the year but often show up when hot, dry weather begins. Sometimes a single branch or the foliage on one side of a tree will die. Trees can go through years where no symptoms are present and then the symptoms show up again several years later. Some trees can struggle along for years, while others may die soon after symptoms appear. In addition to wilting, other symptoms may include: small leaves, stunting shoot growth, poor radial growth, sparse foliage, and abnormally large seed crops. Check out this article: Verticillium wilt refresher - Michigan State University at this link: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/verticillium_wilt_refresher
Also check out this article: Verticillium Wilt of Trees and Shrubs
- Read the section - How do I save a tree or shrub with Verticillium wilt? - the University of Wisconsin - Madison at
this link: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/verticillium-wilt-of-trees-and-shrubs/
Additional Information:
Twig kill and dieback in colder zones are not uncommon.
Some other drawbacks are that the wood can be brittle with older trees splitting at crotches and branches breaking off in the wind and heavy snow, and this species tends to be short-lived, especially if stressed. It is tolerant of juglone, so can be grown under black walnut. Redbud has few insect pests but is
susceptible to some diseases. It has few insect pests other than scales and is not favored by deer, but is susceptible to Verticillium wilt (especially in wet sites) and Botryosphaeria canker. From the article: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/eastern-redbud-cercis-canadensis/
Concerning the ditch lilies: To prevent competition for water and nutrients, I suggest that you remove the ditch lilies within the drip line of your redbud tree and shrubs (i.e., the edge of where the branches extend) and replace it with shredded hardwood, pine or cedar mulch. On heavy clay soils, use three
inches of mulch. On other soils, use three to four inches of mulch. Be sure to keep mulch two inches from the main trunk and crown of the redbud tree.
For a confirmed diagnosis, you should have your images examined by MSU Plant and Pest Diagnostics Lab on the MSU campus you should send pictures and full descriptions to the lab.
Please email digital images prior to bringing or sending physical samples. Images can be sent to <personal data hidden>.
MAKE SURE IN THAT E-MAIL YOU INCLUDE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND PHONE NUMBER!!
They may be able to ID your problem without seeing a sample. That is why the more images the better
THE LAB WILL LET YOU KNOW IF A SAMPLE NEEDS TO BE SENT - There is a $20-25 dollar fee (if they need a sample
sent).
PLEASE READ BELOW ON PREPARING YOUR SAMPLE
From the lab: Please do not ship samples on Fridays. Due to the current COVID-19 circumstances, please allow additional processing time. They thank you for your patience and understanding.
Every sample must be accompanied by a completed submission form. Please place the form in a separate resealable bag to prevent it from getting damp or soiled. The form is at this link:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/pestid/uploads/files/MSU-DS-Form-012-001-version6.0.pdf
Complete details of submitting a sample are at this link: https://www.canr.msu.edu/pestid/submit-samples/
Hope this helps!!
Redbud trees often lose their outer layer of bark as they get older and more mature. Once the outer layer falls off, inner layers of orange bark are revealed. Cold, dry weather often loosens bark, resulting in large amounts of bark being shed the
following summer.
Cankers are the most serious disease problem of redbud.
These fungi infect major limbs and the trunk cutting off the flow of nutrients. Most canker fungi require that the tree be under stress and have an open wound for infection. The most common stress factor is summer drought. Dieback/Canker is the most destructive disease that attacks Redbud trees. It is first seen
as a tree's leaves wilt and turn brown. Often cankers can be seen on branches and twigs. The cankers can either be seen as visible cankers on the surface of the branches or as dark sunken areas with black centers. I don’t see this in either of your images
My concern is that you might have Verticillium Wilt - because of your wilting leaves, small dead branches, and thinning canopy that I see in your images - Verticillium wilt is a typically fatal disease that affects a wide range of deciduous woody ornamentals. Trees most commonly and severely affected are maple and ash. Other trees and shrubs such as barberry, catalpa, elm, lilac, linden, smoke tree, and redbud are susceptible. There is no fungicide treatment available to control verticillium wilt. However, some other measures may be taken to prolong the life and to improve the aesthetic value of an infected tree. Management of this disease includes proper pruning, watering, and fertilizing. Symptoms of verticillium wilt can be confusing because they are so variable. They include marginal scorch and complete wilting of leaves on individual branches in the crowns of potential hosts. Symptoms can occur at any time of the year but often show up when hot, dry weather begins. Sometimes a single branch or the foliage on one side of a tree will die. Trees can go through years where no symptoms are present and then the symptoms show up again several years later. Some trees can struggle along for years, while others may die soon after symptoms appear. In addition to wilting, other symptoms may include: small leaves, stunting shoot growth, poor radial growth, sparse foliage, and abnormally large seed crops. Check out this article: Verticillium wilt refresher - Michigan State University at this link: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/verticillium_wilt_refresher
Also check out this article: Verticillium Wilt of Trees and Shrubs
- Read the section - How do I save a tree or shrub with Verticillium wilt? - the University of Wisconsin - Madison at
this link: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/verticillium-wilt-of-trees-and-shrubs/
Additional Information:
Twig kill and dieback in colder zones are not uncommon.
Some other drawbacks are that the wood can be brittle with older trees splitting at crotches and branches breaking off in the wind and heavy snow, and this species tends to be short-lived, especially if stressed. It is tolerant of juglone, so can be grown under black walnut. Redbud has few insect pests but is
susceptible to some diseases. It has few insect pests other than scales and is not favored by deer, but is susceptible to Verticillium wilt (especially in wet sites) and Botryosphaeria canker. From the article: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/eastern-redbud-cercis-canadensis/
Concerning the ditch lilies: To prevent competition for water and nutrients, I suggest that you remove the ditch lilies within the drip line of your redbud tree and shrubs (i.e., the edge of where the branches extend) and replace it with shredded hardwood, pine or cedar mulch. On heavy clay soils, use three
inches of mulch. On other soils, use three to four inches of mulch. Be sure to keep mulch two inches from the main trunk and crown of the redbud tree.
For a confirmed diagnosis, you should have your images examined by MSU Plant and Pest Diagnostics Lab on the MSU campus you should send pictures and full descriptions to the lab.
Please email digital images prior to bringing or sending physical samples. Images can be sent to <personal data hidden>.
MAKE SURE IN THAT E-MAIL YOU INCLUDE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND PHONE NUMBER!!
They may be able to ID your problem without seeing a sample. That is why the more images the better
THE LAB WILL LET YOU KNOW IF A SAMPLE NEEDS TO BE SENT - There is a $20-25 dollar fee (if they need a sample
sent).
PLEASE READ BELOW ON PREPARING YOUR SAMPLE
From the lab: Please do not ship samples on Fridays. Due to the current COVID-19 circumstances, please allow additional processing time. They thank you for your patience and understanding.
Every sample must be accompanied by a completed submission form. Please place the form in a separate resealable bag to prevent it from getting damp or soiled. The form is at this link:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/pestid/uploads/files/MSU-DS-Form-012-001-version6.0.pdf
Complete details of submitting a sample are at this link: https://www.canr.msu.edu/pestid/submit-samples/
Hope this helps!!
