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My Rowan Tree is Dying

bmair96-InB-T5rbmair96-InB-T5r Posts: 5
in Fruit & veg
We have a beautiful, mature rowan tree in our garden and it has produced an abundance of berries every year. This year, coming out of winter, the green leaves started to bud, and then stopped.  It seems to be stuck at that phase, as if it has been stunned. We are planning on leaving it a year to see if it recovers next spring, but any ideas about what is wrong with it and how to treat it would be appreciated. I would hate to lose it (although we have young saplings from its berries currently in pots).
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  • depoksharma07depoksharma07 Posts: 38
    The rowan tree is tough and tenacious. It is not prone to many diseases as long as it is planted in the cold regions it prefers. If grown in warmer environments, it is prone to fire blight. Prune away the affected branches, as there is no other cure for this bacterial disease.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    @Fairygirl is pretty experienced with Rowans ... hopefully she'll see this and pop in. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • bmair96-InB-T5rbmair96-InB-T5r Posts: 5
    Thank you Dovefromabove
  • bmair96-InB-T5rbmair96-InB-T5r Posts: 5
    It is affecting the whole tree, not just some branches. It looks like something happened in early spring to shock it. Is it possible that the cold snap we had here in the UK, after a fairly mild period, could have stunned it?
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    Don't prune it unless you know it has fire blight!
    April was very dry. Did you water it at all, or enough?
    They thrive in cool and moist environments, such as Scotland and my Pennine garden, and  in drought conditions will stop growing buds to conserve water and preserve the main part of the  tree. It is very likely that this has happened to your tree and if you can give it large quantities of water twice weekly and keep it up through the summer you should see a recovery. :)
    Climate change seems to mean that we will all have to learn new ways of gardening and be much more flexible in our ways, responding to the plants' needs rather than the season or the date.
  • bmair96-InB-T5rbmair96-InB-T5r Posts: 5
    Thank you, Buttercupdays. That is most likely what the problem is. We will get watering immediately. Cheers.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd say @Buttercupdays is pretty spot on.
    It's virtually impossible to overwater a rowan, so make sure it has plenty. They hate being dried out. 
    Cold [even severe cold] doesn't affect them - even after warmer spells. They're extremely tough  :)  
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • bmair96-InB-T5rbmair96-InB-T5r Posts: 5
    Thank you. I'll get the watering cans out.
  • mmwilson15630VLY0d8ommwilson15630VLY0d8o Posts: 8
    @fairy Hello, new to forum, spotted convo when looking for advice on my Sorbus Chinese Lace. Young tree, planted in early April, has been doing really well but this week has gone all floppy, I've been watering but maybe not as much as it needs in this hot spell. Also spotted a white powdery layer on the young branches, not the leaves themselves. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Hello @mmwilson15630VLY0d8o and welcome to the forum 😊 

    I’ll give @Fairygirl another nudge for you (part of her name has disappeared from yours gor some reason).  

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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