Tree Questions???

[ForTheArborist]

HO has a liquid amber that has all of the branches growing straight down. They are ripping at the elbows. They may not have been water for a long time which is necessary for them to survive here. Could that have cause the branches to slouch?

These photos are of two pines that might have been dried up before the owners moved in not long ago. I can't tell what kind of pines they are. I can't see any infestations either. I've checked the phloem on them, and it is still live. Some of the limbs have died within the past 6 months, and those needles never looked any better in the past six months. They are growing right next to a retainer wall, on a hill, with hard clay only a foot or 2 down. I know that salt collects above clay from irrigation. Do these have any hope?

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Do you have a clear close-up photo of some of the limbs and damage to post here?

The sweet gum looks like it may have codominant stems from down low. Is that right?

You get strong winds don't you?

 

[ForTheArborist]

Do you mean the limb on the right with the red circle on it?

I lightened that one up several pounds, and it elevated itself, so as of now the wood is far above it capacity to hold up what you see in the picture.

Yeah, there is plenty of wind, but there are several trees to the right and the hill on the left blocking. This one has a long ways to grow before it catches the main stream full force.

 

[jefflovstrom]

FTA, just so you know, it is not Liquid amber, it is Liquidambar.
Jeff

 

[ForTheArborist]

FTA, just so you know, it is not Liquid amber, it is Liquidambar.
Jeff

Still on your rounds in full force. Nice gesture.

I put the wrong photo in there. I need to inspect my post before I publish.

Do you have any idea what is hitting Sycamores around here. I know the Sycamores at the HO's I've been working on are all ate up. I was driving around a few miles from their home looking for lunch, and I saw a whole row of Sycamores along the road with the same problem. Small, yellow eggs attached to the underside of the leaves with all of the chlorophyll sucked out around the eggs. It gives them a spotted look until the whole leaf turns yellow and rolls up on their sides. I'd like to no what the #### "plague" is.

 

[PaulPollard]

It sounds like a leaf miner of some kind on the Sycamores and maybe a blight or scale attack on those pines. If they grew up fine where they are and nothing much has changed in the root zone or whatever. You can spray I think to save if it's insects, even some blights.

You will tell a whole lot more by taking a real careful close look at everything, the leaf and the bark but those pines you can't even climb to look?

 

[ForTheArborist]

It sounds like a leaf miner of some kind on the Sycamores and maybe a blight or scale attack on those pines. If they grew up fine where they are and nothing much has changed in the root zone or whatever. You can spray I think to save if it's insects, even some blights.

You will tell a whole lot more by taking a real careful close look at everything, the leaf and the bark but those pines you can't even climb to look?

I saw one instance of about 20 scales on one Sycamore after searching very thoroughly. I notice a lot of some kind of flies in all stages of growth from larvae stages to full grown. There are a few other kinds of insects up there. I need to check with the local tree growers I suppose.

No, can't climb those pines. I'm suggesting to the HO's root aeration and the addition of some compost around roots. I bet I save those trees if they give me the go ahead.

These photos are of the same species just down the road. Hopefully somebody can ID them for me.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Still on your rounds in full force. Nice gesture.

I put the wrong photo in there. I need to inspect my post before I publish.

Do you have any idea what is hitting Sycamores around here. I know the Sycamores at the HO's I've been working on are all ate up. I was driving around a few miles from their home looking for lunch, and I saw a whole row of Sycamores along the road with the same problem. Small, yellow eggs attached to the underside of the leaves with all of the chlorophyll sucked out around the eggs. It gives them a spotted look until the whole leaf turns yellow and rolls up on their sides. I'd like to no what the #### "plague" is.

Dude, I was only telling you liquidambar so you clients won't think you cant spell or indentify a tree, so yeah, nice gesture.
Jeff

 

[jefflovstrom]

I saw one instance of about 20 scales on one Sycamore after searching very thoroughly. I notice a lot of some kind of flies in all stages of growth from larvae stages to full grown. There are a few other kinds of insects up there. I need to check with the local tree growers I suppose.

No, can't climb those pines. I'm suggesting to the HO's root aeration and the addition of some compost around roots. I bet I save those trees if they give me the go ahead.

These photos are of the same species just down the road. Hopefully somebody can ID them for me.

Look like Eldarica pines to me, in our area they have been seeing blight and cankers. They don't like a lot of watering.
Jeff

 

[ropensaddle]

Sweet gums are weeds here.

 

[lxt]

Jeff nice catch on the wrong latin pronunciation & spelling, I was gonna chime in if any one else didnt.

FTA, I hope you dont think he was insulting you??? its just in most places I deal in "tree city usa" these twp`s have shade tree councils with an arborist usually on staff......I am assuming Jeff was responding to aide you in your tree vocabulary so that you may look a lil more professional when trying to use latin terminolgy to ID a tree!!



LXT.....................

 

[lxt]

You are suggesting a root aeration & mulch before knowing the problem?? what is it you think is wrong that would prompt this suggestion? was kust wondering???


LXT..............

 

[jefflovstrom]

Jeff nice catch on the wrong latin pronunciation & spelling, I was gonna chime in if any one else didnt.

FTA, I hope you dont think he was insulting you??? its just in most places I deal in "tree city usa" these twp`s have shade tree councils with an arborist usually on staff......I am assuming Jeff was responding to aide you in your tree vocabulary so that you may look a lil more professional when trying to use latin terminolgy to ID a tree!!



LXT.....................

Thanks LXT, you are right, I was not insulting him, I am starting to like him as he pursues a field in which he is ignorant (again, not an insult), when I respond to him, he takes it as an insult. FTA, this June will be for me 33 years in the biz, got my cert. treeworker in 1992. I am a cert. arborist#we-7624A, and just took the CTSP test on the 28th of April. If you get the TCIA magazine, we are featured in the Reporter near the back. You are not no ways near me as competition so I don't mind helping, but you ego keeps you from accepting help.
Jeff

 

[ForTheArborist]

sweet gums are weeds here.

ha!

 

[ForTheArborist]

No, I'm taking the help anywhere it's poking out. For instance, I just wrote a 3 page report to my granddad for some financial backing here to move things up some. He is wealthy, but he is a stubborn and rude man, so it's tricky. It's not going to work, but it behooves me to invest my time in all the right places you know.

I have some work to do with the research on blights, the species of that pine, amongst getting in a new transmission in the dump truck.

Reason I want to aerate roots on those pines is because they are next to a retaining wall, and the hard clay layer beneath them are not the best of criteria for tree health. Even the dirt there is not the best, sooo....

So #### busy. Gotta go.

 

[ropensaddle]

ha!

Well they are they drop them balls they frequently snap large limbs especially in spring green up when they are loading up with the green balls. I have witnessed them snapping limbs on calm sunny days just from the weight of those gum balls. I know they can be mitigated but gums are weeds you can cut them and even grind the stump and they will sprout from remaining roots. They are weak wooded sobs too lol This is my opinion anyways I would rather have the other weed silver maple than Liquidambar.

 

[ropensaddle]

Now black gum not so bad, beautiful in early fall and a little stronger and no balls lmfao.

 

[BlackenedTimber]

My question is why can't you climb those pines for a closer inspection?

Throw a rope up in there (NO HOOKS!), scurry up quickly with the digicam and get some up close and personal photos of the bark and needles. That would help tremendously in determining if there are extenuating circumstances outside of your soil conditions.

You may be right that the compacted soil and retaining wall are affecting the root structure, killing off the tree. However, If the wall was there before the tree, then there is something else going on IMO.

T

 

[jefflovstrom]

My question is why can't you climb those pines for a closer inspection?

Throw a rope up in there (NO HOOKS!), scurry up quickly with the digicam and get some up close and personal photos of the bark and needles. That would help tremendously in determining if there are extenuating circumstances outside of your soil conditions.

You may be right that the compacted soil and retaining wall are affecting the root structure, killing off the tree. However, If the wall was there before the tree, then there is something else going on IMO.

T

You are putting too much pressure on hin, BT, climbing is not his forte, getting answers is his game. Those are Eldarica pines and common here. From a distance may look like a Monterey, but Eldarica in a timed irragation is not going to do well. Hey FTA, find some needles on the ground and take them home and look at them closely, you will be surprised and come back here and ask what it is. I am sure one of us will tell you.
Jeff

 

[BlackenedTimber]

Point well taken. I forgot that climbing is no longer a prerequisite for tree care professionals.