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Rowan tree - suspected Fire Blight?………

Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
edited July 2021 in Problem solving
I posted earlier regarding this Rowan tree that the leaves and blossom had started to die back. We thought it was because the graft union was buried. After clearing the soil away from the graft the tree burst in to life again. In the last few days the same thing is happening again. When the tree was examined I noticed that the trunk had become discoloured and the bark splitting. Has anyone had experience of this or is it another disease? 


Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

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  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    Anyone?
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Rowans aren't grafted. 
    There's been some external damage causing the split. It may not recover from that. It can sometimes be caused by a very dry spell followed by wet. 

    Is the round pole a stake of some kind? Has it been rubbing on the trunk? It seems to be located very tight against it. They don't need much in the way of staking, or need staked for long, and it's better if the stake is low down and in at an angle to avoid it catching the roots.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    edited July 2021
    Thanks for replying @Fairygirl, it’s a grafted Rowan to keep it small garden sized, the stake is not as close to the trunk as it looks and was knocked into the ground before we planted the tree and there is a spacer between the two.

    I think we are probably best to take it out and start again with a new tree and make a better job of planting it!
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    That's very unusual - a grafted rowan.  :)
    They don't have terribly dense, solid canopies though, so they aren't terribly overpowering even in a small space. There's a couple of more upright ones though - that might suit you better. Autumn Spire is one   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • coccinellacoccinella Posts: 1,428
    I was told by an old farmer that young trees suffer from sudden temperature changes. A cold spell followed by hot weather can split the bark, especially if the bark is exposed to full sun ... don't know if all this is true. 

    Luxembourg
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Rowans certainly struggle if it's dry for long periods, and many area have experienced that, this year and in previous years. Any young tree would struggle, and if it's grafted to a less vigorous rootstock, that may well increase the problem. 
    That's what I was saying earlier @coccinella, although it's supposedly very dry followed by very wet that does the damage. Not something I've ever experienced because we never get those really long dry spells that some areas get, and the soil is generally quite moisture retentive which also helps trees manage better if there's a week or so of drier conditions.    :)  
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LBIMOLBIMO Posts: 11

    I have a similar problem. My Autumn spire has  not done well. this is the 2nd year i've had this die back, I cut out an upright branch  (2 from trunk) that had it couple of years ago, seemed to be going ok and I've got 2 two  upright branches  which had leaves and berries, however left hand one dying again. leaves berries shrivelled. Branch darkening wrinkling.    Did wonder about weather so dry last month, now so wet!
  • LBIMOLBIMO Posts: 11

  • LBIMOLBIMO Posts: 11

  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    I had a rowan, the bark went just like yours.  Under the bark, the stem was covered in bootlaces.  Honey fungus!
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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