Saving diseased sorbus commixa embley

[nikaia]

In 2012 Leeds forestry Dept. planted this Sorbus on the  street verge just outside my house.

In 2018/19 it started showing problems of a disease at the very top branches.

I believe this to be due to roots weakening because of strong westerly winds that buffeted our street for

several weeks to a point that I feared our Sorbus would be toppled, despite  having kept the strong stake in position to reduce the danger of uprooting.

 

The trunk was showing deep splits, and  the main branches showed wilting leaves, no strength to produce more branches and some leaves going red.

I decided to call Leeds forestry dept. to look at it. After their visit I was told that there was nothing wrong with this Rowan 

During 2019 the problem worsened to a point that I had to remove 3 main branches.

I called the Dept again, they visited and reported no problem.

In 2020 I decided to buy and apply liquid copper to help towards what I thought to be fire blight and I also sprayed the trunk with insecticides.  

Yesterday I noticed that another 2 branches were affected showing wilted leaves, ( see pic) drying out flowers and other branches with red leaves in June!!.

 

What should I do?

Can you help me save this lovely specimen?

 

thanks

 

 

 

 

[openspaceman]

not great pictures but it does look like fireblight and those vertical lesions on the stem also look like symptoms of  bacterial infection.

 

It often enters through strimmer damage at the base.

[nikaia]

Hello Openspaceman,

Many thanks for your quick reply and for your useful assessment. 

I have now included a picture of the base showing the damage at the Sorbus's base for you to assess and added the other 3 photos  with their date.... and hopefully a bit clearer now.

The damage to the base was not done by Council trimmers bacause I had created a small "island" with flowers around the tree, well beyond the reach of trimmers.  I believe that the damage was done by the tree being shaken and pushed by strong winds.

In fact its trunk  I can easily shake it as it is not as solidly anchored as the Sorbus Acuparia planted at the same time, over the other side of the street, which is now a healthy, tall and bulky.

 

I would be very grateful if you could  let me know what I should do in order to try and save it, if I am not too late.

Thanks again 

[openspaceman]

On 19/06/2021 at 14:24, nikaia said:

I would be very grateful if you could  let me know what I should do in order to try and save it, if I am not too late.

It's a shame our more erudite members haven't chipped in, I am no plant pathologist nor expert. If it is fireblight, and the fact the whole crown is not yet infected points to this rather than a root problem like honey fungus, then it is a bacterial infection, the lesions, (splits) that show in the stem point to this as the bacterial exudate pushes out through the bark.

 

Also despite your view that strimming hasn't caused an entry wound that basal wound and swelling does look like damage done a few years ago and is the trees way of growing over the wound.

 

On a you specimen like this standard advice is to start again with a less susceptible species.

 

You could try to cut the dying bits back to sound wood i.e. to the point were the cambium is bright green all around the cut.

 

 

[nikaia]

Hello again and many thanks for your advice.

I have already removed 3 main branches and the disease has not stopped: it is still carrying on to other branches as you have seen from my photo.

Any more pruning and I am left with only the trunk!

Having said that, the bottom branches are so fat, in very good health with happy foliage and flower heads.

I shall remove those 2 additional branches as you suggested, but before doing it would you advice me for me to spray more liquid copper to the affected areas, to see if it helps?

 

I cannot replace this Sorbus with a stronger one as it is  Leeds Council Forestry Dept's. property ....and  they are not the least interested in taking any action.

Although I believe you know hell of a lot about the subject and your advice is a sound one, I am also hoping to get more specialists involved to help save it.

Kind regards

 

 

[openspaceman]

10 minutes ago, nikaia said:

, but before doing it would you advice me for me to spray more liquid copper to the affected areas, to see if it helps?

I  only thought copper sprays were to combat fungal infection and didn't realise any such products were still on the market.

[Dan Maynard]

I can't add much on the fireblight etc but the roots being loose is a bad sign, the stake should have been taken out years ago to encourage the tree to strengthen its own roots - keeping it in too long results in a weaker tree I'm afraid.

Having said that the rocking is more a symptom of a tree that's not doing well and likely to struggle with water over the summer if it hasn't got good roots. I would suggest if you can mulch well rather than the flowers it will stop the bed drying out.

[daveatdave]

stop pruning the dead stuf off as the council inspector will only look at it and think its ok i have no faith in them as they do not know the points of the compass they looked at the wrong end of the street i informed them of a problem and still have not done anything about it 3 years later  

[nikaia]

Hello Openspaceman,

 

I found this info https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/plant-disease/fire-blight/

and then I bought this product and sprayed on the affected areas:

Provanto Fungus Fighter controls all major leaf diseases on roses, ornamental plants and selected edibles. Controls box blight as well as blackspot, mildew, rust, leaf spot and white rust.

but I believe that it may not contain liquid copper after all. Perhaps it is probably too late for any meaningful results???

I will follow your very useful advice when cutting affected branches. In the meantime I wait to see if I an expert in bacterial infections can help.

 

Hello Dan,

This Sorbus is loosely staked to allow the tree to move in the wind without being uprooted by strong gushes of westerly winds. 

I believe Embley to be a weaker tree than the Acuparia, planted in greater number by the council including one over the other side of our street, which is doing so well I had removed the stake.

I also believe that Embley would thrive in a more sheltered spot.

The "island" I had created around both trees dotted with nice flowers is there to embellish the street verge and I regularly water flowers and trees. Good idea though to mulch, which I will do.   

 

Hello DaveatDave,

 

Leeds Council Forestry dept. knew the problem since 2019 as I gave them samples of the affected branch as well as all the photos included in this page. They knew there was a problem but did not  specify how to solve it, nor did they take any action. 

[nikaia]

 

Quote

Following your suggestion, today  I have cut 2 more diseased branches . Pics are also showing the exposed cut for you to assess if I have cut enough of it. I have then sprayed with Fungus fighter... to see if it helps. Pic 038 shows the sorbus today after cutting. Your comments/advice will be much appreciated. Thanks