Return to the Trees Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Chlorosis Question
| | |
Posted by
greatplainsturf 6/7 OK (
My Page) on
Thu, Aug 16, 12 at 0:30
| Driving around I have noticed some oak trees that are suffering from chlorosis. Does chlorosis change over time? Many of these trees are large > 10" diameter trees. If the soil is too alkaline now, why wasn't it before when the tree was planted much smaller? Some trees have it so bad they have branches dieing back, how did they ever grow over the last 30 years? Does other factors (weather) make chlorosis better or worse. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Chlorosis Question
| | |
Two possibilities (out of many): if they are irrigated with well water that is alkaline it can gradually raise the pH of the soil to a point that the iron and other elements get "tied up" and cease to be available to the tree. Also, today's soils around new homes are often mixtures, soils being brought in from different places to get the right elevations around homes. The tree may have been planted in a pocket of lower pH soil and as the root system expands it reaches the opposite, causing chlorosis.
hortster |
RE: Chlorosis Question
| | |
| Pin Oaks will show chlorsis in alkaline soil. Frequently, pin oaks are sold as red oaks that will grow in any soil. Sweet gums are another tree that has trouble with alkaline soils. You can go to heroic efforts but soils are what they are. |
RE: Chlorosis Question
| | |
| I know that some trees are more likely to get it, but how can a tree grow well for 20 years in a spot, then get chlorosis and maybe even bad enough to kill it. Could the tree have gradually used up all the available iron and is now starved? |
RE: Chlorosis Question
| | |
| Good question, GP, and a couple good possibilities outlined by horst. Yes, a tree 'could' use up all the free iron in its domain, but more likely is a change in pH. Then too, drought alone can cause a plant to have difficulty accessing enough of a given nutrient and that displays as a chlorotic look. Reminds me of a similar question that has rolled around in my head for some time; How can ponderosa pines, obviously unhappy in their surroundings with severely blighted foliage, still have attained considerable size? This in reference to a couple we ended up taking down due to shear ugliness! Meanwhile, my young ones up north are still looking good and still growing. +oM |
RE: Chlorosis Question
| | |
| There are areas in Texas where the topsoil is slightly acidic but it sits on a layer of caliche clay/limestone rock which is alkaline. This might be the situation OP is describing. Similar to horster's scenario. |
RE: Chlorosis Question
| | |
| At one time they were digging Pin Oaks and Pin Oak/Shumard hybrids in eastern Oklahoma because they were easy to dig. Who knows where these trees ended up at but I know many of them ended up in the Dallas area. Over the last twenty years or so, they have started dying off as their roots have been growing out in the alkaline soil. On top of this the irrigation water is alkaline too. The response of the trees are not uniform and some of the older trees are still hanging on. Pin oaks grow pretty fast so that is why you see some larger ones. The color of the leaves are different shades of lime green to yellow. It's the bright yellow stage when they begin to go down. The drought over the last few years is helping out too. We should be growing trees from west of where we live, not east. |
RE: Chlorosis Question
| | |
| Excellent commentary, scotjute and dricha. Probably 'splains it. +oM |
Post a Follow-Up
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in.
If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Trees Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.
