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Why is this tree refusing to shed its dead leaves?
Why is my Ficus losing its leaves?What is this plant with red growths on its leaves?Why would a walnut tree lose all its leaves in ten minutes?Strange brown/dead spots on leaves?Easiest way to remove large amount of leaves from yardWhy does my Dracaena fragrans lose its leaves?Can anyone identify this plant that grows leaves from its leaf?Why is my avocado tree losing its leaves?Why remove dead leaves from plants?Why is my avocado tree dropping its leaves?
There's this tree I've been noticing (not sure what it's called) and throughout the whole winter it has held onto its leaves that went dry in fall even under windy/rainy conditions. Since leaves dont rejuvenate themselves, how will it produce new leaves for the next season? Will they eventually fall somewhere around spring or is one supposed to remove them by hand to make room for the newer set of leaves to follow?
leaves winter
add a comment |
There's this tree I've been noticing (not sure what it's called) and throughout the whole winter it has held onto its leaves that went dry in fall even under windy/rainy conditions. Since leaves dont rejuvenate themselves, how will it produce new leaves for the next season? Will they eventually fall somewhere around spring or is one supposed to remove them by hand to make room for the newer set of leaves to follow?
leaves winter
7
Whilst this may be a case of marcescence, this tree might instead be dead...check by peeling back a little of the bark or skin on the branches with your fingernail to see what its like inside - if its moist and greenish,its alive, if its brown and dry, it isn't. Check near the base too...
– Bamboo
12 hours ago
Note I do not say to cut the tree in any way, as mentioned in an answer below - just scrape back a small bit of bark, or the outer surface, with a fingernail to check.
– Bamboo
2 hours ago
add a comment |
There's this tree I've been noticing (not sure what it's called) and throughout the whole winter it has held onto its leaves that went dry in fall even under windy/rainy conditions. Since leaves dont rejuvenate themselves, how will it produce new leaves for the next season? Will they eventually fall somewhere around spring or is one supposed to remove them by hand to make room for the newer set of leaves to follow?
leaves winter
There's this tree I've been noticing (not sure what it's called) and throughout the whole winter it has held onto its leaves that went dry in fall even under windy/rainy conditions. Since leaves dont rejuvenate themselves, how will it produce new leaves for the next season? Will they eventually fall somewhere around spring or is one supposed to remove them by hand to make room for the newer set of leaves to follow?
leaves winter
leaves winter
edited 10 hours ago
Community♦
1
1
asked 14 hours ago
Hamid SabirHamid Sabir
26214
26214
7
Whilst this may be a case of marcescence, this tree might instead be dead...check by peeling back a little of the bark or skin on the branches with your fingernail to see what its like inside - if its moist and greenish,its alive, if its brown and dry, it isn't. Check near the base too...
– Bamboo
12 hours ago
Note I do not say to cut the tree in any way, as mentioned in an answer below - just scrape back a small bit of bark, or the outer surface, with a fingernail to check.
– Bamboo
2 hours ago
add a comment |
7
Whilst this may be a case of marcescence, this tree might instead be dead...check by peeling back a little of the bark or skin on the branches with your fingernail to see what its like inside - if its moist and greenish,its alive, if its brown and dry, it isn't. Check near the base too...
– Bamboo
12 hours ago
Note I do not say to cut the tree in any way, as mentioned in an answer below - just scrape back a small bit of bark, or the outer surface, with a fingernail to check.
– Bamboo
2 hours ago
7
7
Whilst this may be a case of marcescence, this tree might instead be dead...check by peeling back a little of the bark or skin on the branches with your fingernail to see what its like inside - if its moist and greenish,its alive, if its brown and dry, it isn't. Check near the base too...
– Bamboo
12 hours ago
Whilst this may be a case of marcescence, this tree might instead be dead...check by peeling back a little of the bark or skin on the branches with your fingernail to see what its like inside - if its moist and greenish,its alive, if its brown and dry, it isn't. Check near the base too...
– Bamboo
12 hours ago
Note I do not say to cut the tree in any way, as mentioned in an answer below - just scrape back a small bit of bark, or the outer surface, with a fingernail to check.
– Bamboo
2 hours ago
Note I do not say to cut the tree in any way, as mentioned in an answer below - just scrape back a small bit of bark, or the outer surface, with a fingernail to check.
– Bamboo
2 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
This is called Marcescence.
Some species of trees retain their old leaves longer than others, and young trees may retain them longer than old trees. In the UK, "copper beech" trees (with naturally brown or purple coloured leaves even in summer) which are sometimes used for ornamental hedges often retain the old leaves right through the winter.
It may be a defence against animals eating the tree branches in winter, if the old leaves are not so edible as the branches themselves.
You don't have to do anything to remove the leaves. New leaves will grow from new buds on the branches. The old leaves will fall off on their own, eventually.
The Wikipedia link has a picture showing new leaves on an oak tree, before the old leaves have fallen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcescence#/media/File:Marcescence_on_Quercus_rubra.jpg
Thanks for this! I've got an oak that does this and was always curious. Glad to know it's not an issue since it's helpful for the local birds to find shelter in the winter.
– Ian MacDonald
11 hours ago
Not just copper beech - beeches in general do this and are sometimes used for privacy hedging as they block the view all year round
– Chris H
11 hours ago
add a comment |
The tree is probably dead, as @Bamboo has pointed out in a comment. The reason for this conclusion is that the leaves are dull, dry, and curled. In normal growth the leaf expands, does its job of keeping metabolism going and at the end of the growing period forms an abscission layer at the base of the leaf stalk. This allows the leaf to fall leaving a sealed wound that will retain moisture and be resistant to disease. In this case normal growth was interrupted before the abscission layer could be formed, so the leaves did not fall but remain stuck. The leaves reacted by curling up to conserve as much of the existing moisture as possible, but failed to pull in water to replace what it was losing.
In the case of leaves designed to healthily remain on over the winter, as with evergreens and exceptions to the general rule of leaves falling early, the leaves remain turgid and bright, swollen little balloons that retain their shape and lustre much longer into the following year.
There could be many reasons for the sudden interruption of water to the plant: bark girdling at the base, planting too late into the season, drought, poison such as watering with high salt water. I'm sorry to bear bad news possibly; follow the recommendation to cut into some twigs and see if you see some green or an alternative test would be to simply bend over a twig and see how far you can distort it before it breaks. If it bends smoothly and springs back my reasoning is wrong. Let's think positively.
1
Judging from the rest of the ground in the picture, this doesn't look like a place where a tree (or anything else) would grow. It could have been planted in hopes it would grow, or planted in a container and not watered. It really does look dead.
– JPhi1618
9 hours ago
3
The dead appearance can come from stresses like you described, but the ultimate indicator of tree death is the lack of any buds. If there are buds, the tree could still live. It's hard to tell from these photos, but it looks like there are still some buds.
– cr0
9 hours ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
This is called Marcescence.
Some species of trees retain their old leaves longer than others, and young trees may retain them longer than old trees. In the UK, "copper beech" trees (with naturally brown or purple coloured leaves even in summer) which are sometimes used for ornamental hedges often retain the old leaves right through the winter.
It may be a defence against animals eating the tree branches in winter, if the old leaves are not so edible as the branches themselves.
You don't have to do anything to remove the leaves. New leaves will grow from new buds on the branches. The old leaves will fall off on their own, eventually.
The Wikipedia link has a picture showing new leaves on an oak tree, before the old leaves have fallen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcescence#/media/File:Marcescence_on_Quercus_rubra.jpg
Thanks for this! I've got an oak that does this and was always curious. Glad to know it's not an issue since it's helpful for the local birds to find shelter in the winter.
– Ian MacDonald
11 hours ago
Not just copper beech - beeches in general do this and are sometimes used for privacy hedging as they block the view all year round
– Chris H
11 hours ago
add a comment |
This is called Marcescence.
Some species of trees retain their old leaves longer than others, and young trees may retain them longer than old trees. In the UK, "copper beech" trees (with naturally brown or purple coloured leaves even in summer) which are sometimes used for ornamental hedges often retain the old leaves right through the winter.
It may be a defence against animals eating the tree branches in winter, if the old leaves are not so edible as the branches themselves.
You don't have to do anything to remove the leaves. New leaves will grow from new buds on the branches. The old leaves will fall off on their own, eventually.
The Wikipedia link has a picture showing new leaves on an oak tree, before the old leaves have fallen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcescence#/media/File:Marcescence_on_Quercus_rubra.jpg
Thanks for this! I've got an oak that does this and was always curious. Glad to know it's not an issue since it's helpful for the local birds to find shelter in the winter.
– Ian MacDonald
11 hours ago
Not just copper beech - beeches in general do this and are sometimes used for privacy hedging as they block the view all year round
– Chris H
11 hours ago
add a comment |
This is called Marcescence.
Some species of trees retain their old leaves longer than others, and young trees may retain them longer than old trees. In the UK, "copper beech" trees (with naturally brown or purple coloured leaves even in summer) which are sometimes used for ornamental hedges often retain the old leaves right through the winter.
It may be a defence against animals eating the tree branches in winter, if the old leaves are not so edible as the branches themselves.
You don't have to do anything to remove the leaves. New leaves will grow from new buds on the branches. The old leaves will fall off on their own, eventually.
The Wikipedia link has a picture showing new leaves on an oak tree, before the old leaves have fallen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcescence#/media/File:Marcescence_on_Quercus_rubra.jpg
This is called Marcescence.
Some species of trees retain their old leaves longer than others, and young trees may retain them longer than old trees. In the UK, "copper beech" trees (with naturally brown or purple coloured leaves even in summer) which are sometimes used for ornamental hedges often retain the old leaves right through the winter.
It may be a defence against animals eating the tree branches in winter, if the old leaves are not so edible as the branches themselves.
You don't have to do anything to remove the leaves. New leaves will grow from new buds on the branches. The old leaves will fall off on their own, eventually.
The Wikipedia link has a picture showing new leaves on an oak tree, before the old leaves have fallen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcescence#/media/File:Marcescence_on_Quercus_rubra.jpg
edited 13 hours ago
answered 13 hours ago
alephzeroalephzero
3,6941614
3,6941614
Thanks for this! I've got an oak that does this and was always curious. Glad to know it's not an issue since it's helpful for the local birds to find shelter in the winter.
– Ian MacDonald
11 hours ago
Not just copper beech - beeches in general do this and are sometimes used for privacy hedging as they block the view all year round
– Chris H
11 hours ago
add a comment |
Thanks for this! I've got an oak that does this and was always curious. Glad to know it's not an issue since it's helpful for the local birds to find shelter in the winter.
– Ian MacDonald
11 hours ago
Not just copper beech - beeches in general do this and are sometimes used for privacy hedging as they block the view all year round
– Chris H
11 hours ago
Thanks for this! I've got an oak that does this and was always curious. Glad to know it's not an issue since it's helpful for the local birds to find shelter in the winter.
– Ian MacDonald
11 hours ago
Thanks for this! I've got an oak that does this and was always curious. Glad to know it's not an issue since it's helpful for the local birds to find shelter in the winter.
– Ian MacDonald
11 hours ago
Not just copper beech - beeches in general do this and are sometimes used for privacy hedging as they block the view all year round
– Chris H
11 hours ago
Not just copper beech - beeches in general do this and are sometimes used for privacy hedging as they block the view all year round
– Chris H
11 hours ago
add a comment |
The tree is probably dead, as @Bamboo has pointed out in a comment. The reason for this conclusion is that the leaves are dull, dry, and curled. In normal growth the leaf expands, does its job of keeping metabolism going and at the end of the growing period forms an abscission layer at the base of the leaf stalk. This allows the leaf to fall leaving a sealed wound that will retain moisture and be resistant to disease. In this case normal growth was interrupted before the abscission layer could be formed, so the leaves did not fall but remain stuck. The leaves reacted by curling up to conserve as much of the existing moisture as possible, but failed to pull in water to replace what it was losing.
In the case of leaves designed to healthily remain on over the winter, as with evergreens and exceptions to the general rule of leaves falling early, the leaves remain turgid and bright, swollen little balloons that retain their shape and lustre much longer into the following year.
There could be many reasons for the sudden interruption of water to the plant: bark girdling at the base, planting too late into the season, drought, poison such as watering with high salt water. I'm sorry to bear bad news possibly; follow the recommendation to cut into some twigs and see if you see some green or an alternative test would be to simply bend over a twig and see how far you can distort it before it breaks. If it bends smoothly and springs back my reasoning is wrong. Let's think positively.
1
Judging from the rest of the ground in the picture, this doesn't look like a place where a tree (or anything else) would grow. It could have been planted in hopes it would grow, or planted in a container and not watered. It really does look dead.
– JPhi1618
9 hours ago
3
The dead appearance can come from stresses like you described, but the ultimate indicator of tree death is the lack of any buds. If there are buds, the tree could still live. It's hard to tell from these photos, but it looks like there are still some buds.
– cr0
9 hours ago
add a comment |
The tree is probably dead, as @Bamboo has pointed out in a comment. The reason for this conclusion is that the leaves are dull, dry, and curled. In normal growth the leaf expands, does its job of keeping metabolism going and at the end of the growing period forms an abscission layer at the base of the leaf stalk. This allows the leaf to fall leaving a sealed wound that will retain moisture and be resistant to disease. In this case normal growth was interrupted before the abscission layer could be formed, so the leaves did not fall but remain stuck. The leaves reacted by curling up to conserve as much of the existing moisture as possible, but failed to pull in water to replace what it was losing.
In the case of leaves designed to healthily remain on over the winter, as with evergreens and exceptions to the general rule of leaves falling early, the leaves remain turgid and bright, swollen little balloons that retain their shape and lustre much longer into the following year.
There could be many reasons for the sudden interruption of water to the plant: bark girdling at the base, planting too late into the season, drought, poison such as watering with high salt water. I'm sorry to bear bad news possibly; follow the recommendation to cut into some twigs and see if you see some green or an alternative test would be to simply bend over a twig and see how far you can distort it before it breaks. If it bends smoothly and springs back my reasoning is wrong. Let's think positively.
1
Judging from the rest of the ground in the picture, this doesn't look like a place where a tree (or anything else) would grow. It could have been planted in hopes it would grow, or planted in a container and not watered. It really does look dead.
– JPhi1618
9 hours ago
3
The dead appearance can come from stresses like you described, but the ultimate indicator of tree death is the lack of any buds. If there are buds, the tree could still live. It's hard to tell from these photos, but it looks like there are still some buds.
– cr0
9 hours ago
add a comment |
The tree is probably dead, as @Bamboo has pointed out in a comment. The reason for this conclusion is that the leaves are dull, dry, and curled. In normal growth the leaf expands, does its job of keeping metabolism going and at the end of the growing period forms an abscission layer at the base of the leaf stalk. This allows the leaf to fall leaving a sealed wound that will retain moisture and be resistant to disease. In this case normal growth was interrupted before the abscission layer could be formed, so the leaves did not fall but remain stuck. The leaves reacted by curling up to conserve as much of the existing moisture as possible, but failed to pull in water to replace what it was losing.
In the case of leaves designed to healthily remain on over the winter, as with evergreens and exceptions to the general rule of leaves falling early, the leaves remain turgid and bright, swollen little balloons that retain their shape and lustre much longer into the following year.
There could be many reasons for the sudden interruption of water to the plant: bark girdling at the base, planting too late into the season, drought, poison such as watering with high salt water. I'm sorry to bear bad news possibly; follow the recommendation to cut into some twigs and see if you see some green or an alternative test would be to simply bend over a twig and see how far you can distort it before it breaks. If it bends smoothly and springs back my reasoning is wrong. Let's think positively.
The tree is probably dead, as @Bamboo has pointed out in a comment. The reason for this conclusion is that the leaves are dull, dry, and curled. In normal growth the leaf expands, does its job of keeping metabolism going and at the end of the growing period forms an abscission layer at the base of the leaf stalk. This allows the leaf to fall leaving a sealed wound that will retain moisture and be resistant to disease. In this case normal growth was interrupted before the abscission layer could be formed, so the leaves did not fall but remain stuck. The leaves reacted by curling up to conserve as much of the existing moisture as possible, but failed to pull in water to replace what it was losing.
In the case of leaves designed to healthily remain on over the winter, as with evergreens and exceptions to the general rule of leaves falling early, the leaves remain turgid and bright, swollen little balloons that retain their shape and lustre much longer into the following year.
There could be many reasons for the sudden interruption of water to the plant: bark girdling at the base, planting too late into the season, drought, poison such as watering with high salt water. I'm sorry to bear bad news possibly; follow the recommendation to cut into some twigs and see if you see some green or an alternative test would be to simply bend over a twig and see how far you can distort it before it breaks. If it bends smoothly and springs back my reasoning is wrong. Let's think positively.
answered 10 hours ago
Colin BeckinghamColin Beckingham
6,633328
6,633328
1
Judging from the rest of the ground in the picture, this doesn't look like a place where a tree (or anything else) would grow. It could have been planted in hopes it would grow, or planted in a container and not watered. It really does look dead.
– JPhi1618
9 hours ago
3
The dead appearance can come from stresses like you described, but the ultimate indicator of tree death is the lack of any buds. If there are buds, the tree could still live. It's hard to tell from these photos, but it looks like there are still some buds.
– cr0
9 hours ago
add a comment |
1
Judging from the rest of the ground in the picture, this doesn't look like a place where a tree (or anything else) would grow. It could have been planted in hopes it would grow, or planted in a container and not watered. It really does look dead.
– JPhi1618
9 hours ago
3
The dead appearance can come from stresses like you described, but the ultimate indicator of tree death is the lack of any buds. If there are buds, the tree could still live. It's hard to tell from these photos, but it looks like there are still some buds.
– cr0
9 hours ago
1
1
Judging from the rest of the ground in the picture, this doesn't look like a place where a tree (or anything else) would grow. It could have been planted in hopes it would grow, or planted in a container and not watered. It really does look dead.
– JPhi1618
9 hours ago
Judging from the rest of the ground in the picture, this doesn't look like a place where a tree (or anything else) would grow. It could have been planted in hopes it would grow, or planted in a container and not watered. It really does look dead.
– JPhi1618
9 hours ago
3
3
The dead appearance can come from stresses like you described, but the ultimate indicator of tree death is the lack of any buds. If there are buds, the tree could still live. It's hard to tell from these photos, but it looks like there are still some buds.
– cr0
9 hours ago
The dead appearance can come from stresses like you described, but the ultimate indicator of tree death is the lack of any buds. If there are buds, the tree could still live. It's hard to tell from these photos, but it looks like there are still some buds.
– cr0
9 hours ago
add a comment |
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7
Whilst this may be a case of marcescence, this tree might instead be dead...check by peeling back a little of the bark or skin on the branches with your fingernail to see what its like inside - if its moist and greenish,its alive, if its brown and dry, it isn't. Check near the base too...
– Bamboo
12 hours ago
Note I do not say to cut the tree in any way, as mentioned in an answer below - just scrape back a small bit of bark, or the outer surface, with a fingernail to check.
– Bamboo
2 hours ago