Hello,

thank you for contacting Ask Extension. Could you send me a few other pictures? I need one of the trunk, the flare of the tree, and also a close up of the bark. Also, when was it planted? How often are you watering it? and have you fertilized the tree or the yard recently? Or sprayed any other chemicals in the area of the tree? 

Once I receive these answers, that will help me in diagnosing the tree's issues.

What is your response? Seven son flower tree dying. Planted 2020. I haven’t been watering it this year as there has been a lot of rain. I fertilized with osmocote in spring. I have not used chemicals. I’ve uploaded 8 photos. Third request for assistance. Please respond.

Thank you for contacting Ask Extension. Also, thank you for sending the additional pictures needed to determine the cause of why the leaves on the trees are browning and dying. You were using a slow release fertilizer, which is good. It has rained in some areas, but plants do need at least 1” of water/week.

It appears that there are a few things going on with your tree. On the image 4, where there is a cavity that is opened up. The cambium layer of the young tree is split, it can be due to a variety of factors such as environmental conditions, pests, or mechanical damage. In Michigan, mid-winter cold damage is a common cause of cambium layer splitting, which can be exacerbated if the tree continues to grow into the late fall. Additionally, squirrels stripping bark to access the sugars and minerals in the cambium layer can also lead to girdling and killing of the tree if the stripping encompassees most or all of its circumference.

In the case of your young tree, it's important to note that bark splitting can occur in response to various environmental factors at different times of the year, and trees which are peeling and thin barked like a seven-son, are more susceptible to this type of injury . Bark splits are not likely to be fatal to trees, but they can allow entry of disease organisms which can cause decay. In this case, you have some squirrel damage where they have fed on the bark, since most of the bark is gone. There is striations in Image 2 that looks like it could be from rope or something tied around the tree. This will cause the xylem and phloem to be girdled and interfere with the movement of water and nutrients moving up into the tree.

There is probably enough water getting up into the tree in the spring, and the leaves pop out. But there is not enough water to maintain their green color, so that is why they are turning brown and dying. With all the trunk damage that your tree has, I am not sure that you can correct this damage, but you can consult a certified arborist for a professional assessment. www.treesaregood.com