We live in Kansas City, MO and we have a 9 year old (previously healthy) greenspire linden that approximately 2 weeks ago started dropping yellow leaves over the entire tree and had one or two very small branches that had died. We took the leaves to a local nursery and they suggested more water. We started watering...the yellowing slowed but a couple more branches appeared dead. Approximately 1 week ago on all of the branches, on one of the main limbs the leaves started to wilt and curl. Many of the small branches on that limb are also completely brown/dead. All of the leaves on that entire limb are curled and wilted looking. Many of the lower smaller braches are dead with dead leaves still attached. The yellowing over the entire tree has stopped and so far it appears only that one limb is seriously affected. That limb is approx 1/3 of the tree however. Any ideas on what we should do? Should we cut back the limb? Should we cut off the dead branches? We really like this tree and up until this point it has been healthy and has grown well. We do not want to lose this tree. We have read some articles that state fertilizer can help - should we fertilize now? How do we know if we have verticillium wilt for sure. The local nursery person came out and was a bit stumped. THANK YOU for any help you can provide...we'd really like to save the tree!
post a picture. that would really help. have you been having a good amount of rain like other areas in the state? an established (9 year old) tree should by now be able to fend for itself. if you have had a lot of rain, the supplemental watering could do way more harm than good. drought stress and overwatering symptoms are very similar. i would hold off on adding fertilizer until you know what is wrong. if it is verticillium wilt your local county extension service should be able to determine that (for free) by sending off a sample to their plant disease clinic. post a picture and in the mean time contact a certified arborist or your extension office for help.
It sounds like a tree in our recent drought. Sometimes they shut a branch off to survive. I don't know what your deep soil water is like but it maybe possible dryness did cause this. I agree ask an arborist to make sure you know what your problem is. Liz
Verticillium wilt usually shows dieback on a whole branch, rapidly, in hot weather. The vascular tissue will normally be stained (bark scraping will sometimes show this staining). Overall yellowing and dropping of some leaves is somewhat normal around here in August and July. The lindens here tend to get major aphid infestations, then hornets, then sooty mold.
