Is it possible to save this tree?

9 years ago

So does anyone know what kinda try this is specifically and what I can do to preventing from completely dying? I am thinking its some kind of birch. My biggest question though is what should I do about the fact that it's creating pretty much no leaves on most branches. I was planning to cut down the parts with no leaves but with so few leaves on top I am wondering how much or many branches i should be removing. Thanks for your help!

Comments (6)

ACluster
Original Author
9 years ago
Btw where is a close up of the tree if that helps at all.
nurseryman33
9 years ago
How about a close up of the leaves? It might be a clump mountain ash but I can't tell for sure.It almost looks like you have 2 different plants growing together. In any case, the main plant looks doomed to me.
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ACluster
Original Author
9 years ago
Does this shot work for a better view? I am sure there is a second try in there as it has a bigger leaf.
gardener365
9 years ago
Yep, nurseryman hit that right on. It's a mountain ash.

What I would recommend are two options and 1 route:

1 find a level place on the existing trunks where the foliage is reproducing and cut above and allow regeneration from there.

2 cut the entire woody trunks to the ground to allow new regeneration of suckers.

-------

Choose 1 central trunk with the most new-growth that is central so it's perpendicular to the ground/not leaning removing all others.

Mountain ashes as you see produce suckers and can be grown as a multi-stemmed tree or as a single trunk, tree where what's involved is controlling/removal of any new arriving suckers from both the base of the woody trunk or away from the trunk coming up from the roots.

My opinion is one trunk, however there are aesthetics involved and you may prefer multi-trunked. That's understandable. The downside to multi-trunked specimens is as a whole, they are more prone to breakage in storms: wind, snow, ice, etc-. A single trunk is a much sturdier, tree.

You may also think that it would be crazy to cut all the trunks off at ground-level for regeneration, but, there's a lot of power in the existing root-system and regeneration will be rapid. You technically could cut it all to the ground thus starting over and after a season choose the strongest & straightest shoot while eliminating the others. You'd have a tree in literally no time.

Best of luck,

Dax
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
9 years ago
There is also a second species of tree/shrub mixed in there. Possibly a seedling which crept without your noticing it. If you show its leaves we can id it but whatever it is it would be best to get it out of there.
ACluster
Original Author
9 years ago
I haven't dealt with the seedling cause even though i noticed it it was a preexisting condition and I wanted to make sure I can remove most of the branches around it since the whole things is a mess. Personally I like the idea of just a single trunk so I am thinking of going that route.
Is there any issue with removing the trunks now and over time or should I wait till fall or something before removing the suckers? Since most of the trunks seem dead i am fine with removing the suckers.