# quick death of willow



## beastmaster (Dec 2, 2012)

I went out today to look at an Australian Willow(Geijera parviflora). It turned brown in the last month. It has never been very vigorous I was told, and one across the street planted at the same time is twice its size. 
It was obvious it was getting way to much water from the sprinkler that watered the lawn. But its been like that for 7 years. 
Recently the home owner had new turf installed. I asked if round up was used to kill the old grass he said no chemical were used. They did rototiller the yard. In the pictures you can see where I removed several inches of dirt that had been "added" to the planter. Small feeder roots had formed from the trunk. I didn't see any rot or signs of fungus, but there was some area where the bark had fell off below the new grade and not grown back. I check for a girdling root but there wasn't any I saw. I checked for surface roots out side the concrete planter and couldn't find any as I probed with a long screw driver.
Based on the evidence, I told them several factors may have cause the sudden decline of this tree. Overwatering, rototilling of surface roots, and the several inches of dirt added to the base of the tree. 
I exposed the roots by removing 4 inches of dirt, as a last ditch effort to save the tree, and reprogrammed the sprinklers, but told them it was probably not going to make it. 
Any one have any other ideas or if my take on it was accurate? I am trying to do more consulting and I only charge 50.00 as I am trying to get experience and my name out there, but I want to be through and honest.View attachment 265130
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## Raintree (Dec 2, 2012)

I think you have made a good stab at the issues. I always try to keep my trouble shooting diagnoses to the most simple obvious explanation if possible.

Heavily watered tree or high water table will send feeder roots up close to the surface, they need the oxygen. Add the destruction of this critical zone by rotor-tilling on an already stressed tree. Is anyone surprised it's toast.


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## knothole (Dec 3, 2012)

I wonder if homeowners ever study where the tree they want comes from and what the environment is like?:msp_unsure:


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## Urban Forester (Dec 4, 2012)

beastmaster said:


> ...as I am trying to get experience and my name out there, but I want to be through and honest.



You are ALL of those. You did an exellent job of inspecting and diagnosing. Work like that will get you good rep in no time. Not to mention your diagnosis was (based on the pictures) accurate.


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## expertech (Dec 7, 2012)

With good drainage I don't think you can over water a willow. Willows do excellent in wetlands and areas with very shallow water tables.


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## beastmaster (Dec 12, 2012)

expertech said:


> With good drainage I don't think you can over water a willow. Willows do excellent in wetlands and areas with very shallow water tables.



That is true of true willows of the Salix family, this was an Australian Willow tree(GEIJERA parviflora)or even a Acacia salicina, they look a lot a like and is also often sold as an Australian Willow too. Both are simi desert trees that are drought resistint and need little water after established. Really a perfect small tree for our area, but not so much if grown in a heavly watered lawn. A true willow would of probably been a better choice for that yard.
,


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## derwoodii (Dec 12, 2012)

new turf laid eh hmm suspect high fertizler additions especialy high phosphorus mix not good for OZ natives like a arid desert bred tree that already was in poor form due to high watering. So pushed it over the edge. As the leaves have died off fast and stayed on I'm hinting the coup d'état was the stress that allowed susceptibility to root rot fungi destroying water take up root hairs such as phytophthora or Armillaria luteobubalina the black base barks a clue here, thou this is more often seen pre or during dry summer not as in your case post or ebb into winter. 

Sorry lad its lost but your local wood turners will like its hard wood quailtys but do avoid fungus diease movement 

Phosphorus and Iron Nutrition in Australian Native Plants

Geijera parviflora


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## treeseer (Jan 1, 2013)

beastmaster said:


> Any one have any other ideas or if my take on it was accurate? I am trying to do more consulting and I only charge 50.00 as I am trying to get experience and my name out there, but I want to be through and honest.



Rototilling culprit; case closed. good search for facts imo but how deep is concrete and when installed?. if you want your name out there, write up cases like this for local pubs like MGs, ucal extension, even wcisa.


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## TreeGuyHR (Jan 23, 2013)

In addition to the watering and soil issues, you might ask if the lawn service or HO uses a weed eater. That girdling damage sure looked like the result of wacking the trunk -- I have seen the same on thin barked arborvitae, lilac, and others. 

I can't understand how it is that landscapers don't see the damage they are causing with weed eaters on thin bark!:bang:

The water and soil issues may have just made things worse.


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