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[beezz]

Hi,

I have 2 60-65 ft sweetgum trees we love on our front yard. This Spring – about 2-3 weeks ago I noticed the treetop of one does not seem to have new

leaves for this Spring.  Today, it still is as bare as before wlthough the entire treetop has gumballs and seems to have white branch tips. below this section for the 4/5 segment of the tree all the way down it’s bright with new Springtime leaves.  Do you have an idea what could be wrong with the treetop?  I hope it’s not sick.

[lareina]

Hi beezz, it seems to me that tree is having trouble. Are they very old? To reach that height, I suppose so. From what I learned in forestry at the time, whenever trees start growing bare at the tip it usually means they’re at the end of their lifetime. It means the roots and trunk aren’t able to send sap up to the tips. It’s called crown dieback.

The gumballs show wounds; if it were a pest it wouldn’t just be on the tip.

Maybe give it a little fertilizer to boost the tree, like bloodmeal or bonemeal and topdress with ripe compost. Hopefully this can tilt the scales enough to let your tree bounce back! Spread it well under the entire surface of the tree, even a bit further off.

[Author]

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