Dying tree

Question: Hi there,
We have a tree that half of it seems dead. Can you please tell us if we can save it?

responder: Hania Oleszak  Replied June 27, 2023, 11:56 AM EDT
response: Hi Misti, 1. When did you first notice the dieback? Has the damage progressed since then? 2. Goldenrain trees are fairly weakly wooded, so I wonder if you notice any breakage along the branches where the leaves have died back? This could happen from stormy weather or heavy snowfall. 3. Have there been any changes in maintenance of the tree (i.e., watering) or changes in the property near the tree (i.e., construction that may affect the roots of the tree)? Thanks! Hania

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 27, 2023, 6:38 PM EDT
response: Thank you so much for your response. Yes, it has gotten worse from when we first noticed it about 3-4 weeks ago. No changes in maintenance, although we have had so much rain in the past month or so. I think normally we would have had sprinklers watering but the rain flooded our basement and there's been so much so we haven't turned them on yet. We have not noticed breakage. Is there anything that can save it?On Tue, Jun 27, 2023, 9:56 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: Hania Oleszak  Replied June 28, 2023, 12:01 PM EDT
response: Hi Misti, Would you be able to take a few more photos of the tree so I can visualize it a bit better? Some more photos of the damage from a wider view would be helpful (different angles of the tree), as well as a photo of the tree trunk, particularly where it meets the soil line. The dieback on half of the tree makes me think that there is some kind of issue with the roots. This may be a result of how the tree was planted (which is why I'd like to see a photo of the trunk by the soil line). Was there any pattern in the progression of the dieback? For example, the dieback started at the bottom and moved up, or vice versa? Thanks, Hania

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 28, 2023, 8:44 PM EDT
response: It's getting worse. The green parts are shriveling up. Apparently, the trunk damage showed up about 7-8 years ago. The dieback started on one side and progressed to the other side.Thank you!MistiOn Wed, Jun 28, 2023, 10:01 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: The Question Asker Replied July 04, 2023, 2:07 PM EDT
response: Oh my gosh, it looks like it's coming back now. The hail knocked all the dead leaves off and now there's new ones coming.On Sun, Jun 25, 2023, 6:03 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:  Dear Misti, Thank you for using Ask Extension. A request for support has been created and a representative will follow-up with you as soon as possible. Questions are usually answered within two business days. You can view this question's progress online. YOUR QUESTION #0107415: Dying tree Hi there, We have a tree that half of it seems dead. Can you please tell us if we can save it? Ask Extension offers one-to-one expert answers from Cooperative Extension/University staff and volunteers within participating Land-Grant institutions across the United States. If you wish to provide additional comments or information regarding the issue, please login to your account for a complete archive of your prior questions and answers.  This message for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for personalized professional advice. For specific local information, contact your local county Cooperative Extension office or other qualified professionals. eXtension Foundation does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, professional services, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned. Reliance on any information provided by eXtension Foundation, employees, suppliers, member universities, or other third parties through eXtension is solely at the user's own risk. All eXtension content and communication is subject to the Terms of Use which may be revised at any time.

responder: Hania Oleszak  Replied July 05, 2023, 3:07 PM EDT
response: Hi Misti, There's a few different things that might be going on. For one, golden raintrees have low water requirements so all of the recent rains may have been a stressor for the tree. Specifically, I wonder if your basement flooding might indicate that the soils around your house were also highly saturated with water, thus affecting the tree's ability to access oxygen. Extreme saturation/oxygen deprivation could drown the roots and cause branch dieback. With all of the spring rains, we've seen some cases of anthracnose, which is a fungal disease that prospers during cold, wet weather. This can cause variable symptoms in trees, but often results in leaf distortion/spotting and defoliation. While I haven't seen any information indicating that golden raintrees can be infected by anthracnose, the timing of your symptoms and the second flush of leaves makes me wonder if anthracnose is a possibility. As the weather warms up and dries up, anthracnose goes away on its own. Verticillium wilt is another fungal disease that affects trees, and can definitely affect golden raintrees. This causes wilting, curling, and browning of leaves and can cause branch dieback. Unfortunately, there is no cure to verticillium wilt asides from improving the cultural conditions of the tree (or replacing with a verticillium-resistant tree). With all this in mind, I would recommend bringing in a sample of your tree (symptomatic branch) to the CSU Plant Clinic at the Spur campus in Denver. They will be able to test for verticillium wilt, as well as anthracnose if that does indeed affect golden raintrees. Here is more information on the plant clinic, including location and fees: https://agsci.colostate.edu/agbio/plantclinic/.  In the meantime, I would also recommend removing some of the rock from around the base of your tree. Large rock mulch can damage the tree roots by compacting and heating the soils. Ideally, you'd want to remove the rocks from a 4-6 foot radius around the tree and replace with a wood mulch. Thanks! Hania