Redbud tree

Question: Our Redbud tree seems to be dying. It didn't look great in the spring. It didn't have as many buds as it usually does. I noticed the leaves started turning brown in the early summer and began falling. Many branches are bare. Now there is only one branch that has any leaves left.

responder: Lindsey K. Kerr, MS, MHP (she, her, hers)  Replied September 09, 2024, 10:42 AM EDT
response: Do you have a question about your tree? Are you wanting to know what is wrong with it?  Can you take another photo of where the trunk meets the ground? Do you have it planted in grass or mulched? Is there a flowerbed around it?  Have you watered it this season? Have you applied a pesticide or herbicide anywhere near it?

responder: The Question Asker Replied September 13, 2024, 5:04 PM EDT
response: The first two questions are yes and yes. I thought that was obvious. I will take another picture of the trunk. It is mulched and has been there for 20 years. There is not much of a flowerbed around it, as there are a lot of bushes around the area. They have also been there during the tree's life. We rarely water it. We got about 15 inches of rain this summer, so it wasn't because it was dry. I've applied pesticides in years past on several plants near it. The pesticide was Sevens. A weeping larch died a few years ago (near the tree) because caterpillars destroyed it. I don't see any of that on the Redbud.  It looks like maybe there is a bit of sawdust on the trunk of the tree.      Thank you,     Traci Lum  On 09/09/2024 10:42 AM EDT Ask Extension wrote:

responder: Lindsey K. Kerr, MS, MHP (she, her, hers)  Replied September 16, 2024, 9:53 AM EDT
response: Redbuds are often short-lived trees. In ideal conditions, they will live 30 to 50 years. However, less ideal conditions, like a yard, they often only live about 20 years. It may be that yours is reaching the end of its lifespan. I can't see anything wrong in your photos that could be fixed--like an obvious pest. I do think that the tree is planted too deeply. I can't see the trunk flare at all. The way it was originally planted may be causing the tree to decline earlier than average. Redbuds often get cankers. These are fungi that 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 (which may have happened in 2023). Verticillium wilt is another common disease that is in the soil. Both of these diseases are first seen as single limb dieback that may spread to the entire tree. They generally cannot be treated by a homeowner.  There are different types of boring beetles that will attack stressed redbud trees. That may be causing the sawdust at the bottom of the tree. You can look for exit holes in the trunk. Depending on the extent of the damage, it may be too late to treat the tree. It is too late in the year to apply insecticides and have them be effective.  At this point, I would make sure you baby the tree if you want to keep it. It has been very dry this month. I would make sure it is watered deeply. You might also consider applying a fertilizer to the root zone.  Overall, I suspect that this tree is simply in decline because of its age and environmental factors. I would suggest that you start planning for removal and think about how or if you want to replace it. In the case it is verticillium wilt, I would look at species that are more resistant to verticillium.

responder: The Question Asker Replied September 19, 2024, 9:34 PM EDT
response: Thanks so much for replying. I will try some of your tips. I am disappointed that our tree is probably at the end of its life span.      Traci Lum     On 09/16/2024 9:53 AM EDT Ask Extension wrote: