Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

What killed my tree?

WatsoniaWatsonia Posts: 134
in Problem solving
I have a row of three cypress 'Goldcrest' in our garden. They are quite mature trees, they were already in situ as we moved here. I noticed yesterday that the middle one seemed to have died, almost overnight. At least I didn’t notice a change in the last few weeks, it seems rather sudden. The second picture looks quite dramatic, the first is maybe a bit closer to the real colour. Does anyone has an idea what might have caused it and if the other two might be in danger as well? There doesn’t seem to be any damage to them yet. 

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Looks like it died of drought and maybe lost in the competition for water with the green shrub in front of it (2nd photo) which also looks very thirsty.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • WatsoniaWatsonia Posts: 134
    @BobTheGardener I was wondering about drought but was surprised that it would be only one of them? The shrub in front is a twisted hazel tree. One of the other goldcrests is much closer to it (cut off in the photo) and doesn’t show any signs of being impacted which is a bit odd.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I would give the rest lots of extra water, just in case.  It's possible that it's something nasty like Honey Fungus but I wouldn't worry about that unless you see evidence (such as 'bootlaces' attached to the roots and trunk just below soil level) when you remove it.  The hot, dry period in spring has 'done' for many conifers and shrubs this year, with lots of similar posts.  With conifers, the foliage can take a long time to lose it's colour, generally starting with needles near the trunk and the tips being last to die, so the hot winds over the last few days could have finished it off.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • WatsoniaWatsonia Posts: 134
    I will get water on them first thing the morning, hopefully the other two will be alright. I will wait with removing it for another few weeks so will check the roots when I do. I have another shrub which I will try to transplant to this area to fill this gap in the autumn. 
Sign In or Register to comment.