Top collapse or die-back, excessive/premature yellowing and shedding of oldest leaves.

well what happens is the tree is unable to exchange gases....leaves start to die, lots of dead branches.....if this is happening to your tree replant it elsewhere if it still small...if not cut it down and start over with a tree that is able to tolerate it; bald cypress, dawn redwood, red maple, swamp white oak, etc.

i like to think of it as the roots rotting off ...

and without roots.. you have a telephone pole ...

ken

Well, on Taxodium distichum, if your lucky, it will develop very nice knees. Care to say what is wet and where?

tj

I have a potted Quercus alba "white oak". I got it last year as a bare root at an Arbor Day tree give. It's been in a pot since. This year with a semi warm winter and a cold spring the new leaves already died back once, so the new leaves it has put on since, have turned creamy white and droopy, if y'all can wait I can get a pic this coming weekend. I have a bad feeling about the tree. We have Quercus alba native to our area. i have had nothing but bad luck with the Quercus alba. This probably makes a dozen or so that died.

What kind of soil is in the pot and how is the drainage?

tj

If it doesn't make it, collect an acorn from a Q. Alba near you and put it down a half inch or one inch on it's side, in the ground, protect from critters. That's your best bet. Ironically, I have spent lots of effort trying to grow the Coastal Live oak, Quercus Virginiana and it's relatives in zone 6 Pa. I think I've MAYBE found one with the right genes. Good luck also.

Sorry, about ignoring your original post, Q. Alba can take some moisture under it's canopy stretch but needs good drainage close to the trunk. I say this because I have seen a local Q. Alba that is pretty old that has a creek under it's canopy, about 10 ft from the trunk.

its planted in the native soil where I intended to plant it with a cover of compost. The native soil does not hold water it is sandy loam. It was doing fine until the the last time we were predicting frost, so I covered it with a sheet. I dont know why, over cautious i guess. The sheet got loose from the wind and was somewhat rubbing on the leaves, which I thought was no big deal.
Poaky thats a good idea, I will look this fall, if we get some rain and give it a shot.