Dying Hawthorne

[Annabelle]

I have two six year old Hawthornes. They bloomed last month and started growing new shoots. Suddenly, two weeks ago, one of them started shriveling up! The leaves all turned brown and fell off. Now the branches are shrinking. How can I save it?!? The other tree is right next to it, and it's doing just fine.

 

[Jed1124]

Looks like it got a very heavy pruning recently. Do the leaves look burnt? Hard to tell from your picture. Possibly fireblight. More pictures including the planting depth would be helpful.

 

[Annabelle]

They're in giant pots. I live in an apartment. I've had them since they were saplings. I cut them back every spring just after it's finished freezing. This year I did trim a lot back. I thought fire blight too, but the one right next to it is just fine. I thought fire blight spreads to other trees. Should I cut off all of the dead parts? The trunk is still green when I slice the skin. The outer branches are brown, but towards their base they get green closer to the trunk. Will it grow new shoots. Is there a chance of survival, or is it a lost cause???

 

[Raintree]

Classic fireblight symptoms.
http://nysipm.cornell.edu/factsheets/treefruit/diseases/fb/fb.asp

 

[Annabelle]

Here's a picture of the healthy one next to the dead one. Should I worry about my healthy tree???

 

[Jed1124]

Yes. Remove the dead tree asap. Make sure any tool you use to remove the dead tree is disinfected before it touches the live tree.

 

[Annabelle]

Alright. Thank you for your help.

 

[Raintree]

That's a bit drastic, infection period has pasted. Pollinators are not attracted to a stubbed out plant with no flowers or foliage. Cut six inches below the infected limbs, disinfect between cuts. See if she will sprout out, have some streptomycin ready as needed next time round.

 

[Annabelle]

There are no leaves left on it. I'll try cutting off the dead branches, but I have no hope. I'm so sad! It's like losing a pet.

 

[ropensaddle]

There are no leaves left on it. I'll try cutting off the dead branches, but I have no hope. I'm so sad! It's like losing a pet.

Some pets are better left unclipped and released into the wild In future when you cut it back stay just above previous cut to form pods if pollard is your goal and always sterilize tools same as if your removing a kidney!

 

[Jace]

2 trees side by side same species, and only one majorly infected w fireblight while the other one looks great?

And both pruned at the same time...?
(And likely flowered at the same time)

?

 

[Raintree]

Jace, you are assuming that both trees were in flower during the infection period. Looking at the pruning I'm surprised that the Hawthorns had any flowers to be infected.

 

[Jace]

I agree it def looks to be fb. I just wouldve thought that it would spread through rain splash w a little wind, or through prune wounds(a bit later during the spring flush), to the other tree being right next to it....even if flowering wasnt at the same time. Guess not though.

 

[singme]

I would also recommend that u care about your tools, maybe clean them up befoe using them again, but anyway I know this may come late - hmm hard to say what actually happened.