Crabtree - Ask Extension
Not sure if you can help me. I had my tree in the front pruned last year, came back beautiful. But this week I have noticed on the outside branches al...
Knowledgebase
Crabtree #874220
Asked June 22, 2024, 5:51 PM EDT
Not sure if you can help me. I had my tree in the front pruned last year, came back beautiful. But this week I have noticed on the outside branches all the leaves are an ugly brown. I don't want to lose my tree! Help
Wexford County Michigan
Expert Response
I wanted to add more photos.
It would be helpful if you could send a couple of close-up pictures of the brown/ browning leaves.
Is there just one tree that is affected, or more? When did you first notice the browning leaves? Did they turn yellow first and then brown? Are the leaves falling off?
Thank you for this additional information.
Is there just one tree that is affected, or more? When did you first notice the browning leaves? Did they turn yellow first and then brown? Are the leaves falling off?
Thank you for this additional information.
Here are more pictures of my tree. I did not notice if the leaves changed to yellow then brown, I noticed they were brown. This is the only tree I have noticed this is happening to. The tree is green except there will be these outer branches that are brown. When I cut branches the leaves will just fall off. I do not see insects or anything. We have an irrigation system so it does get water.
Your tree seems not to be getting moisture to the top of the canopy. There could be several reasons for this.
Your tree looks to be quite old. It also appears that it has not been kept pruned into a manageable size; it looks like there are a few large branches hanging dangerously close/over your home. Your tree may simply be dying from old age.
Another factor when dealing with an old tree is that the roots may have become so large that they are strangling one another. This would limit their ability to provide moisture and nutrients to the canopy.
Apple scab is a fungal disease of crab apple trees, but I do not see evidence of that disease in your images. (That's why I asked about yellow leaves.) This disease defoliates crab apples every year in our area. Just so you know what to look for, here is information on that disease:
https://extension.umn.edu/plant-diseases/apple-scab
Obviously this tree is quite valuable to you. The best thing to do at this point for diagnosing and treating your tree is to consult a certified arborist. An arborist is a certified and generally insured expert in trees and their problems. He or she can examine your tree and make recommendations regarding the health of the tree, any needed judicial pruning, and whether or not (in his opinion) it should be removed. Hiring a certified arborist will ensure that you are getting a knowledgeable and qualified tree specialist. Every tree and situation is a little different and in this case, an on-site arborist is the safest and most effective way to address the browning leaves issue. You can find a certified arborist in your area here:
http://www.treesaregood.org/
Click on "Find an Arborist" at the top of the page; then click on United States from the pull-down menu. Then enter your State and City. This should bring up a list of certified arborists nearest to you. Or you may be able to locate one under "Tree Services" in your local Yellow Pages.
Should you need to remove this tree and replace it with another crab apple, the link below tells you which varieties are more resistant (not immune) to apple scab.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2117&context=agext
Your tree looks to be quite old. It also appears that it has not been kept pruned into a manageable size; it looks like there are a few large branches hanging dangerously close/over your home. Your tree may simply be dying from old age.
Another factor when dealing with an old tree is that the roots may have become so large that they are strangling one another. This would limit their ability to provide moisture and nutrients to the canopy.
Apple scab is a fungal disease of crab apple trees, but I do not see evidence of that disease in your images. (That's why I asked about yellow leaves.) This disease defoliates crab apples every year in our area. Just so you know what to look for, here is information on that disease:
https://extension.umn.edu/plant-diseases/apple-scab
Obviously this tree is quite valuable to you. The best thing to do at this point for diagnosing and treating your tree is to consult a certified arborist. An arborist is a certified and generally insured expert in trees and their problems. He or she can examine your tree and make recommendations regarding the health of the tree, any needed judicial pruning, and whether or not (in his opinion) it should be removed. Hiring a certified arborist will ensure that you are getting a knowledgeable and qualified tree specialist. Every tree and situation is a little different and in this case, an on-site arborist is the safest and most effective way to address the browning leaves issue. You can find a certified arborist in your area here:
http://www.treesaregood.org/
Click on "Find an Arborist" at the top of the page; then click on United States from the pull-down menu. Then enter your State and City. This should bring up a list of certified arborists nearest to you. Or you may be able to locate one under "Tree Services" in your local Yellow Pages.
Should you need to remove this tree and replace it with another crab apple, the link below tells you which varieties are more resistant (not immune) to apple scab.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2117&context=agext
I should have included this information in my answer. The link below will give you information on a few other possible reasons for browning leaves on your crab apple. If you see cankers (oozing sores) on the trunks or branches, be suspicious of fire blight.
Regardless of the disease, good sanitation in imperative. Rake up and destroy (do not compost) the fallen leaves and destroy them. This will help prevent fungal spores from overwintering on the ground below the tree and re-infecting your tree next year.
https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/deciduous/crabapple/leavesbrown.html
Regardless of the disease, good sanitation in imperative. Rake up and destroy (do not compost) the fallen leaves and destroy them. This will help prevent fungal spores from overwintering on the ground below the tree and re-infecting your tree next year.
https://apps.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/deciduous/crabapple/leavesbrown.html
