cottonless cottonwood tree care

[Raye]

I have a cottonless cottonwood tree that I purchased in the spring of 2010. It was doing great. This year over Memorial Day weekend, it got cold here and we had a skiff of snow but a cold wind and rain all weekend. All my other more trees are leafing out and looking like trees but this one is not leafing out. It has little buds on it and is still supple so I am wondering if it is still alive or dead. It is about 7 feet tall and I had no problems until now.

 

[Raintree]

If it hasn't leafed out by now I call toast.

Has it been girdled by rodents or did you plant it too deep?

 

[Raye]

Thank you for answering. I did have a problem with moles that I have been working on for the last year. There were mounds close by that tree. They seem to be gone, at least I am not finding any new mounds. Would moles go after the roots? The other trees are doing ok. Would it be because this one is fairly new and young? Whatever, I guess this one is gone and I will check into replacing it. There are no leaves at all, it is just standing there.

 

[PremiereTreeNet]

Moles don't usually eat the roots of trees. They could hollow out the ground beneath your tree, preventing it from getting the nutrients it needs though. They could also be a sign of bug infestation, such as grubs (their favorite food!), which DO eat roots. Just a tip.

Anyways, I've heard of trees coming to bloom much later than the beginning of June. The cold could have slowed its bloom or any number of other factors could have contributed. I would give it some more time before getting it removed. You can always remove it later, unless it's big enough to be dangerous.