I bought this 3 year old Nicholsonii at a show last month..along with half a dozen other trees…I’ve not messed about or repotted it..morning sun only for 2/3hrs, well sheltered spot, has been leaf perfect and suddenly looked like this.. I did water it with rain water and half a cap of doff seaweed in a can in the morning (along with the other 6 trees and all of my small seedlings, no other ill effects on any of the others). When I checked the growing medium it was a little compact and bone dry..I wonder whether each time I watered it (along with all the others the water just coursed across the top and down the sides.. I subsequently soaked it for 10mins in just rainwater.. and it remains in a shaded spot under a larger tree.. There are just a few leaves that look normal. Any tips for recovery welcome
On several occasions, I've had a tree suffer near-total leaf loss as a result of an unexpected hot day that coincides with me being unable to water my potted plants; copious water and a sheltered spot usually promotes a secondary flush of leaf growth later in the year.
Often that is the result of the root system being shocked from the transplanting. Generally always recovers, just watch not to over water and keep in a shaded location as mentioned
Thanks - on this occasion there was no transplanting - my guess was that it was a result of the potting medium being compacted and bone dry ..so when I watered it didn’t really penetrate the surface, just coursed down the sides of the small seedling pot.
It's a tough plant. So you're in with a chance, but it will need to come back and refoliate. Shade, limited watering, wait and see. Maybe cut back some of the newer growth.
