Any arborist out there?

Stephen Newell · Jan 31, 2012

I have this magnolia tree that has suffered from the drought we've had here in Texas. The top 3/4 of the tree looks to be completely dead where the bottom quarter doesn't look too bad. Do I have any hope that the top will recover?

641Dave · Jan 31, 2012

You might want to give Jack Chennault a call at Arbornault Tree Care out of Paris, Tx. 903-517-2707

I'm pretty sure he could help answer your question.

By the way, I just planted a southern magnolia in my yard. Beautiful trees and I hope yours recovers fully!

rustcollector · Jan 31, 2012

Stephen,

Contact your county extension agent for an opinion. My experience with Magnolia trees is that when the leaves are dead to that extent, the trunk will be dead. Scratch the bark on the main stem with a thumbnail to see if it is green and moist or brown and dry under the surface. If the bark is brown and dry or dead in appearance, the top will not recover.

BCnT · Jan 31, 2012

everything i've read in the houston and galveston papers says if the leaves turn brown and stay on tree,its dead...how long ago did those leaves turn? almost looks like frost kill to me.

everybody keeps saying drought kill...i lost some pines along banks of a tank...i know their feet were wet...think it was that 2-3 months of 100+ temps that cooked em.

Nancy Howell · Jan 31, 2012

Look at the branches. If they appear shriveled, they"re gone.

JayinNY · Jan 31, 2012

I'm not an aborist, but a landscaper, it probably won't come back if it got" low " disease lack of water. You can try pruning off the dead area and let the alive part grow. It may not look good! But a dead section on a tree will not come back to life.

chevytaHOE5674 · Jan 31, 2012

I am a forester but its really hard to say without looking at the tree. But if the inner bark is dry/dead then the tree is most likely dead. See if you can find somebody local to take a look at it.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 31, 2012

We've always planted them in full, or mostly sunny locations, yours looks like its in the shade. Another thought, would there be a tie down stake, or 3, around the tree? And would there be wire grown into the bark of the tree, at that point, where the ties are around the tree?

Stephen Newell · Jan 31, 2012

The trees were not newly planted. They were about 3' tall when I planted them about twenty years ago. They were growing slow but straight until the drought.

Stephen Newell · Jan 31, 2012

The leaves started dieing in August. I know it was heat and drought.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 31, 2012

Sorry to say, if it looks dead, then it's dead, cut of the dead, and it will grow if it gets water, good luck

Stephen Newell · Jan 31, 2012

Update. I cut a core sample of the bark from the upper section and at the bottom and the bark is the same. Both smell like magnolia and are moist. I also broke off one of the limbs with the dead leaves and the layer of bark below the top layer is green and also moist. Maybe I should wait a while before I cut it down.

Texasmark1 · Jan 31, 2012

Yes on wait. If you scratch the bark and green is below it it is still alive. Trim down to the green and apply a wound dressing to the cut. Water and fertilize well. BTDT

Where it is dead it is brown and the branches snap. Don't let someone talk you into killing it till it's dead.

I got the drought up here also and lost a lot of vegetation, but I checked and what was still green is STILL GREEN and will produce this coming year.

If the tree was really hurt, it may not be as prolific as it once was, but give new growth time to accumulate.

HTH,

Mark

Any arborist out there?

Stephen Newell

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641Dave

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rustcollector

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BCnT

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Nancy Howell

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JayinNY

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chevytaHOE5674

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Anonymous-0

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Stephen Newell

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Stephen Newell

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Anonymous-0

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Stephen Newell

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Texasmark1

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