Beech tree poor foliage this year

[Jo2026]

Hi,

our copper beech has very small leaves except on one lower branch which has the usual sized leaves. Does anyone have any ideas why? The internet searches suggest beech leaf disease or root stress. The leaves look healthy just small, our neighbour did some construction work and new path but that was about 2yrs ago. I’m a bit puzzled by this, other trees in the area look fine. Any advice would be much appreciated.

thank you

J

[Tree monkey 1682]

5 hours ago, Jo2026 said:

Hi,

our copper beech has very small leaves except on one lower branch which has the usual sized leaves. Does anyone have any ideas why? The internet searches suggest beech leaf disease or root stress. The leaves look healthy just small, our neighbour did some construction work and new path but that was about 2yrs ago. I’m a bit puzzled by this, other trees in the area look fine. Any advice would be much appreciated.

thank you

J

Put photos of tree and leaf shape and new construction work up. 

[Mick Dempsey]

Put up a photo

[Jo2026]

I’ve attached 4 pics 

- the whole tree

- the small leaves

- the branch with normal sized leaves

- an attempted pic at comparing the normal branch with others 

- I don’t have a pic of the neighbours construction, but it’s about 4metres from the tree and the path and pipe work would be in vicinity of the roots on their side. As I mentioned this was about 2yrs ago so not sure if you’d see this delay in consequence.

thanks again for your time!

[openspaceman]

The small dead twigs in the crown and necrosis round the edges of the small leaves near the top suggest the roots are struggling to supply water to the upper parts. Possibly signs of retrenchment as the tree tries to adapt and survive with a reduced crown.

[monkeybusiness]

Any history of fungal fruiting bodies in/around the stem and/or root area? Any changes in ground level around the tree?

[Jo2026]

No fungus and ground level doesn’t seem to have changed. There is a small area of root exposed at grass border, but this has always been the case. There are plants obscuring the trunk base. I’ll have a look and make sure no fungal growth. Thanks for response.

[devon TWiG]

near to me I have seen 2 big beeches just not come in to leaf this year , I suspect last years drought ....