CottonWood Died w/ Orange Substance

10 years ago

My cottonwood is about 7-8 years old and had tons of great buds forming ready to open in the spring but never did. The tree basically died on me. I have around 40 trees in my 2 acres and this is the first that has died :(

It appears there is an orange substance all over the tree. Attached is my photo. One thing I did differently the summer before is used a deep feeder on it.

However I have one other cottonwood tree (same age) that I used the same deep feed on it and it doesn't have any problems. It's just this one tree.

Any ideas what this orange stuff is? I'm sure it's the cause of my tree dying. I can cut into the tree and post what I find if that helps? Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
i always presumed it is a fungus taking advantage of dead wood ,,, its after the fact ... but i never researched it... teach me up peeps....

cottonwoods do 3 to 5 to 8 feet per year in my sand ..

what ever possessed you to think a plant that grows that fast.. needed any feeding .. let alone whatever a deep feeding is ...

most tree roots are in the first foot of soil.. how deep did you feed it???

not many facts otherwise to speculate on .. like drought last summer.. heat wave?? .. a freeze after the buds triggered.. [yes it can kill only one tree??].... a mid winter thaw followed by return to deep freeze ... etc ....

ken
shawnjackson
Original Author
10 years ago
I cut off a branch and peeled some bark away but didn't see anything strange inside. Here is a closeup of the orange string like substance coming out of the tree.
Related Professionals
Londonderry Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Suffern Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Taylorsville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Burlington Landscape Contractors · McKinney Landscape Contractors · Dallas Landscape Contractors · Goodlettsville Landscape Contractors · Mendota Heights Landscape Contractors · Milton Landscape Contractors · New Providence Landscape Contractors · Vancouver Landscape Contractors · Yuba City Landscape Contractors · Portland Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · San Jose Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Spanaway Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures
shawnjackson
Original Author
10 years ago
I only deep feed about 12-18 inches. My trees have never grown more than 12" per year probably because it's soo hot and dry here in CO. I also have a lot of clay. That was why I thought to deep water in addition to soaking the tree.

At least it sounds like I don't have to worry about some disease taking over. If this is a normal thing that happens to dead wood then I can focus on other things.

Sounds like my tree just died due to lack of water possibly.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
possibly..

sterilize your saw .... before you start going tree to tree.. in case i am wrong

ya kinda left out the CO desert on top of horrible clay info ..... eh? .. lol ... plus altitude and blistering winds ... lol...

ken
Dzitmoidonc
10 years ago
Could it be something like Cytospora canker? Those fruiting bodies look like something I have seen before but I can't remember where.
Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
10 years ago
Colorado is rough on trees!

I thought otherwise until I visited.

Your trees must be fairly healthy if only one has died.

Just curious, what part of the state are ya in?
calliope
10 years ago
The fruiting bodies look like Hawthorn rust to me, but I don't think poplar is a host. I do know that poplars are pretty susceptible to rusts but I have not seen poplar rusts on anything other than the leaves and I don't have cottonwood trees so little experience with them.
salicaceae
10 years ago
Definitely not a rust. These are the conidial tendrils of Cytospora - which is really a secondary pathogen that is taking advantage of a stressed tree.