I planted a 30 gallon bald cypress 4 days ago, and its already turning brown. When I purchased the tree it looked great. It looks as if the browning is starting towards the inside of the tree and is working its way out to the end of the branches. I have sprayed down the leaves of the cypress a few times because I was worried the heat was causing it. I live in zone 7 and have been watering the tree with a slow trickle from the hose 20 minutes every 3 days. We have more a clay textured soil, but I have heard the cypress can grow with this type, and I have neighbors as well with this tree and theirs looks fine. If anyone can give me some tips I would appreciate it.
It is probably really stressed from being transplanted this time of year. It is a georgeous and sizeable tree, 30 gallon wow! I live in Arkansas in zone 7 as well and the best time to plant trees is in the late fall when the trees are dormant. Also, our bald cypress are beginning to change color which is a rusty brown. Maybe your tree is showing a little of both. Yes, they do tolerate soggy, clay soils so you should be okay there. They do loose their leaves in the winter and can have a completely dead look. Hopefully, next spring it will recover and be beautiful.
bald cypress is a deciduous tree dont forget, it could be transplant shock due to different cun exposure, drought stress, wind stress. etc.
Thanks for the feedback, We have had a few good rains here lately, and not very much wind, so I'm guessing it must be the different sun exposures. Before we received the tree maybe it was getting considerable more shade at the nursery. I also put some root stimulator on the tree the day I planted it. Should I continue putting on the root stimulator on the tree once every month on in through the winter as the directions say or should I hold off on watering through the winter completely.
whats the root stimulator (fine print ingredient)? mixture rates appropriate? what was the root mass like in the pots when you transplanted them?
The root mass and soil were fairly loose when I took it out of the pot compared to others. I scruffed-up the sides and bottom of the root mass to pull some of the roots out that looked like they were growing in a circular pattern in the container. There was a couple of larger roots I couldn't pull out of the mass. The root stimulator suggests that you mix 3.5 tablespoons of solution per gallon of water, so I put a gallon of mixture on the tree after a slow trickle from the hose. This 30 gallon tree has the largest root ball I have ever planted. I'm hoping that the water is getting to the bottom of the root ball. If not this might be a problem as well. It's just weird that the branches are browning from the inside part of the trunk and working slowly to the outer part of the branches. If it was sun exposure I would figure the tips of the branches that would be getting the blunt end of the sun and heat would be turning brown, not the ends that were closer to the trunk of the tree. Here is a couple of pics of the root stimulator I'm using.
A tree that size, newly transplanted in the fall in Texas would seem to need a lot more water than your 20 min. trickle every 3 days. I'd be hosing it in for 10 mins. every day - you just can't overwater a Taxodium, and it sounds like you need to give it a try.
the browning from the inner branches outward is how all of the bald cypress in our area looking right now. they are beginning to change to their fall color. i'm with Rima though, more water. even in the winter if you go a long time without any rain, you will need to water it.
I'm just curious, as we just planted a couple 45 gallon bald cypresses that are turning brown, and we have one in a pot still waiting. They were in the pots about a week waiting to be planted and I just hope they will survive. How did yours do?
I need to check bald cypresses in the neighborhood, but it seems about time for the small branches (the leaves are simple, not compound) to turn brown and fall.
