We have wonderful Sumac trees going up 80 feet which grow like weeds. However they this spring only grow leaves at the very top. The lower branches (80% of the tree) are bare, and the normal reddish fruit is shrivelled. Does not look like a shoot blight, the top leaves look wonderful and don't seem to have the Powdery mildew, Phyllactinia guttata disease. We do have, as do many in the area, stink bugs, which have fallen off in number over past 3 years, however our leaf crop last year was just great. Does anybody have suggestions on this? Thanks so much.
http://www.americanforests.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/BT-Register-PDF_FINAL_web.pdf From the look of the National Register of Big Trees 35 ft would be the largest sumac around. Guessing you have a Ailanthus altissima instead. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ailanthus_altissima Seeds of Ailanthus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ailanthus_altissima_(female).jpg
As to this picture (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...e).jpg/800px-Ailanthus_altissima_(female).jpg), it could be. However, on re-assessing the height I think it is indeed about 30-40 feet tall, bringing me back to staghorn. This Staghorn image looks more like what I have: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Rhty_002_lhp.jpg/220px-Rhty_002_lhp.jpg with sparser fruit than the Ailanthus image.
You may have both! I've seen a couple of cases where there's an understory of Sumac below Ailanthus trees.
Well thank you! In any case I can't understand (some of) the higher leaves being so robust, and nothing at all on lower branches. The whole tree is in tons of sunlight and yet no leaves and fruits are shrivelled, this beautiful tree. see attachment
Looks just like my neighbors drought stricken Sumac that died back to the soil. My guess is you've got some root damage that's caused die-back. Her's is doing fine now that the rains have returned so you may have to let nature take it's course. They re-sprout vigorously from the roots.
Well thank you, at least I won't be hasty to cut it down, thinking it's dead. I've seen plenty of plants do miracles after years. We certainly however have not had any drought, it's raining like heck recently, and also lots of sunshine. Yet I'd like to know what's causing fruits to shrivel and leaves to never even appear
