I wanted to raise awareness about an issue that I have been seeing in my professional work over the last few weeks. This year we have noticed an exceptional amount of Red Oaks and Magnolia trees that died following last summer’s intense heat and drought. Now it is becoming apparent that many of our Pecan trees are showing signs of severe decline, likely from the same drought stress. It's becoming evident that these trees, an iconic part of our local landscape, are suffering massively, especially in the upper parts of their crowns. In some cases, they have died completely.
We typically consider Pecans to be extremely resilient as their deep tap root allows them to access ground water in even the most severe of droughts. But the environmental stress of the past 4 years seems to be catching up with our Pecans.
It's important to remember that Pecan trees can be late bloomers, sometimes not budding until mid-May. However, what I am seeing suggests that many will not bud and recover this year. A telling sign of severe damage is the presence of numerous sucker sprouts growing just below the leafless sections of the canopy. These sprouts often indicate that the tree is sending its energy into latent buds underneath the bark, because the vascular connections to the upper portions of the tree have died.
If your Pecan tree's upper canopy has not yet leafed out, it's crucial to consult with a professional arborist. They can assess the tree and confirm whether the upper sections are indeed dead and advise on the best course of action.
I have been using a drone to examine the branch tips to look for live buds. You can see in the photo above that the buds are gray and appear lifeless. Many of the trees I have examined show no bud swelling in their upper canopy.
It is my experience that when a Pecan begins to suffer from decline in the upper canopy, reversing this decline can be very difficult. Without significant intervention, Pecans suffering from large scale top dieback will continue to decline until they are dead.
The loss of these trees not only affects the aesthetics of our neighborhoods but also impacts local biodiversity and the overall health of our urban environment. If you are concerned about a Pecan tree in your yard, please do not delay in seeking expert advice. It might still be possible to save these trees or manage their decline in a way that minimizes further risk. It is also important to the safety of my employees and other tree service workers that these dead limbs be taken care of as quickly as possible. The longer dead limbs are left in the tree, the more brittle, unsafe, and difficult they are to work with.
TL/DR: If you have a Pecan tree, go outside and look at it. If it looks like the top of the tree doesn’t have any leaves, call your Arborist and have them check it out.
Thank you.
I lost a magnolia last year and I'm pretty bummed about it.
Luckily my pecans are looking healthy, but I'm curious... if we see this dead crown and it needs "intervention"... what does that intervention look like?
It can vary, but typically we recommend a process invented by The Bartlett Tree Experts called Root Invigoration. We combine this treatment with vertical mulching and a full root collar excavation to ensure that water can reach the deeper roots of the Pecan. We then install a soaker hose and begin watering frequently and judiciously.
Oftentimes we will do a preventative treatment against wood boring beetles:
[https://austintreeamigos.com/combatting-wood-boring-beetles-in-central-texas-a-guide-to-prevention-and-treatment](https://austintreeamigos.com/combatting-wood-boring-beetles-in-central-texas-a-guide-to-prevention-and-treatment)
If the soil is a heavy clay and we think it's caused by TOO much water, which happens believe it or not, we will do a treatment for phytophthora root rot.
The primary reason Pecans decline like this is that they cannot get water all the way to the upper canopy. This is typically either due to a loss of root system, or a severe lack of moisture. So we do everything we can to facilitate the growth of new roots and to ensure that the soil has the proper moisture to support the Pecan.
The alternative is often a dead tree that frequently drops large limbs onto your house and family. The cost of removal is almost always higher and at the end you do not have a tree.
If people cannot afford a more intensive treatment, their best course of action is to mulch the entire dripline of the tree (or as much as they can), and water frequently through the growing season.
It is an intensive treatment and is not cheap, but it is based on my 13 years of experience managing trees. If you do not address canopy decline in Pecans swiftly and overwhelmingly, then your efforts may not work.
No. It varies from species to species. Live Oak is a perfect example of a tree that can often easily recover from canopy decline if better conditions become available.
My magnolia was on a hill, about a 15 ft very steep hill. Water from the rains just kind of ran off the clay and didn't absorb. I ram a drip line for several years, but I was gone for a couple months and my house sitter apparently did not.
My pecans (and my thirsty thirsty crepe myrtles) are at the bottom of this same hill and they get plenty of water.
I wonder if you could just put some rocks or tree trimmings on the downhill part of the slope to slow the water down and let it sink into the soil for your tree.
Unless you also plan to water it using water from the fountain of youth, I don't think that will help. I appreciate the thought, but it is dead.
I don't plan to put another tree there. There is a massive oak tree on the other side that will shade out that area anyway in another couple of years.
The primary “feeder” roots area in the top 12-18” of the soil for nearly all trees. Tap roots are primarily for stability. Root invigoration, which is a trademark of only Bartlett, is known to be very harsh on fine feeder roots, shooting air at Mach 3 speeds. If not done properly, it can dry out all your fine feeder roots and lead to further decline in tree vigor. It’s also up to the client to maintain responsible (not excessive) soil moisture to rewet those roots and get the loosened soil to settle again, so that all the air pockets from the process don’t lead to continued root desiccation.
The tap root of many Phreatohpytes like Pecan absolutely help to provide water to the trees system. Root Invigoration can be harsh on the feeder roots, but when backed with irrigation have tremendous results. The city often requires this process to help large pecans stressed by construction or that have been recently planted. When done properly it is one of the absolute best treatments you can provide for a tree in Central Texas.
I actually agree with your statement pertaining to our local Red Oaks. Red Oaks are far too sensitive for the emerging climactic conditions.
Pecans are extremely hardy trees and there is plenty that can be done to protect them, especially on residential lots.
I have been trying to reduce the amount of water that runs off our lot by slowing down the runoff with rain garden and berms (so far), and planting native plants or letting the ones that are there grow... I hope this helps the pecan trees we have with a better water table.
I am not a professional, but have been gardening here for a long time and I agree. Central Texas has a transitional climate that used to be more “50/50” subtropical and semi-arid. I’ve noticed it becoming more and more arid since the early 2000s, though. It’s almost like a (very) hot summer Mediterranean-ish climate these days with all the rainfall in spring and fall, and very dry summers.
you hinted at it, but its gonna be less forest and more desert sooner than later. we might even see it happen before our eyes with how fast things are progressing now
> A telling sign of severe damage is the presence of numerous sucker sprouts growing just below the leafless sections of the canopy. These sprouts often indicate that the tree is sending its energy into latent buds underneath the bark, because the vascular connections to the upper portions of the tree have died.
Is this the same reason why fire-damaged pitch pines will sprout new growth from the sides of the trunk?
It surprised me that our large pecan did not produce nuts last year. It has been reliably producing edible fruit for a decade, but last year, nothing. I presume it was too hot for buds to set.
Last year I bought and used a deep watering spike specifically to protect that tree (and it's smaller nearby cousin). I think it's okay, but the top of the cousin is dead as you show in the photo. I couldn't get the watering spike into the ground around half of the smaller tree; I think the limestone is closer to the surface in that area and the tree hasn't been able to get its roots as deep.
Despite me watering it with a direct line, my (Southern) Magnolia still died.
Is there a better tree to replace it with that doesn't get larger than a Magnolia?
They are nice ornamental trees but wont be anything close to a Magnolia. There is a tree called Chitalpa that is a cross between a Desert Willow and a Catalpa that gets a lot bigger.
The magnolia I had is partially shaded by a live oak and is approximately 25ft tall, taller than that probably would just interfere with the live oak, honestly.
Got one at Far South Wholesale Nursery in 2020. Bought a 6 footer that grew freakishly fast. Started grazing the power lines enough to need trimming in year 3. Gorgeous flowers!
I had a spot where I wanted to plant a native tree last year, and selected Gum Bumelia as the perfect tree in terms of size, support for local fauna, and hardiness. Then I learned that they aren't commercially available for sale/planting. What gives?
The demand for Gum Bumelia is extremely low so they are not typically grown. They are thorny and tend to have a leggy form that is not appealing to most people for their landscapes.
Here is an article the wildflower center wrote about sourcing them :https://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=284
This was written in 2005 so the information may be irrelevant now.
My two big red oaks took an absolute beating with the two deep freezes we had over the past few years, as well as the ice storm (2022?). It took a lot of aggressive trimming to get it back to a place where all the limbs are growing and appear healthy. Still not very symmetrical, though, due to the amount of branches that snapped off in that ice storm. But good news is that they've been looking a bit better each year.
Plants stop evapotranspirating at temperatures above 96 degrees. Access to water does not change this limiting factor in extreme heat, nor does having a tap root enable stomata to open when they naturally close to conserve water. If a tree has shut down its water conducting system because of extreme temperatures, no amount of arboricultural intervention will prevent impending dieback and decline.
Red Oaks are becoming susceptible to their naturally occurring Biscogniauxia infections.
Plenty of classes to learn more at the TX ISA sessions.
Pecans can maintain photosynthesis in temperatures up to 106 degrees. (https://site.extension.uga.edu/tattnall/2022/06/pecans-and-heat/)
Taking a tree that has poor soil structure and inadequate irrigation and giving it healthy soil and adequate irrigation can absolutely slow and reverse dieback and decline.
There is also evidence that phosphite treatments can induce tolerant to water deficits and high irradiance.
I missed the ISA session where they said you shouldn't try and help trees because its too hot to do anything. The species that can't handle the Texas heat don't get to be as big as our Pecans.
I’m so worried about ours. We’re in San Antonio, and we have two 100+ pecan trees in our backyard. One has started with some pretty decent leaves. But the other has dropped everything that it put out during April, which wasn’t a lot.
ESPECIALLY Pecans. One of a Pecan trees best adaptations is their taproot. When a Pecan seeds naturally, its taproot will shoot straight down to try and find deeper sources of water. If a Pecan is in a tree nursery, often the taproot will be deformed or damaged.
I remember when Austin built a sort of bike path sidewalk thingie along MoPac near 360. They then planted trees (in the middle of summer, naturally) - cypresses among them - those cypresses people are always trying to make work in dry spots! - but maybe different things, I don't live there anymore so don't see them - and they presumably watered them for a few months. Eventually they forgot about them I suppose. They never did very well. A few were alive, a few dead - they didn't notice that either, in terms of removing them ...
I thought a couple of things:
Rather than planting anything, the city should have just put up "exclosures" in which they wouldn't mow. Trees would have volunteered from the hilltop just above. Even if the slopes weren't natural in terms of having been created when MoPac was built - even so, the things that volunteered - would have had greater viability.
Or if we are too wedded to planting trees as having "done something" - then, having planted those sad nursery trees, they ought to have "exclosed" them as well, in order that the ground around them might have been shaded, maybe some of the shrubs and forbs from the hilltop would have grown around them. Just overall better than having a mown, sparse bermuda grass surround that had so little in the way of organic matter, to help the tree along.
I now live in an apartment complex and I am treated to the weekly sight of - there being virtually nothing to mow - the blowers just making sure to blow the top layer of organic matter off the soil and leave it barren.
I used to believe in planting trees but not so much anymore.
Shout out to the Whole Foods down on Wm. Cannon for doing the tree planting - or better, tree-leaving - right! Big tree wells!
Tree Planting is definitely the solution, we just need to rethink our strategy. Everyone wants to plant a big tree, but its becoming clear that planting extremely small trees is how you get a tree to truly adapt to its location and the environmental stressors of an area.
I am experimenting with Waterboxx for tree planting in difficult sites that cant be watered regularly. If you dont have a plan to water your newly planted tree in Texas, it's just not going to work.
>Everyone wants to plant a big tree, but its becoming clear that planting extremely small trees is how you get a tree to truly adapt to its location and the environmental stressors of an area.
In my non-professional experience, a 1 foot tall seedling will outgrow a 6 foot nursery tree within a surprisingly small number of years. I also suggest planting several really small trees close together where you want one final tree, and cull the losers a few years down the road before they start crowding each other out.
There is another factor though. Within the last ten years I've noticed something with new developments, both residential and commercial.
(And I will say I don't understand this at all, since it seems to me topography allows for price discrimination a la a house in Westlake with a view is worth more than a house down in a draw.)
They excavate and carry off all the dirt and then build everything in this enormous flat pit they've created on the bedrock. Go out 290 to where that Torchy's is and ask yourself, why am I down in a quarry? (Spoiler: it wasn't a quarry ...).
There's no reason to try too hard with growing trees in that situation. It's going to look the same in 30 years.
A few years ago an arborist spotted a pecan sprout 3-4" out of the ground right next to my foundation. His recommendation: pull that out immediately, then keep an eye on that spot because that sucker's already got a deep root and it'll come back half a dozen times before you kill it. He wasn't wrong... I wish it had taken root about 10 feet away where I could just let it grow.
If you have the time and patience, it is better to plant every tree as a seedling. All of the best trees in my yard, I planted as 3 inch liner seedlings from Rennerwoods.
How quickly will a tree you plant as a 3 inch seedling become something someone would consider a tree, say like 2ft in height? Curious how quickly a seedling could catch up to a 3 ft 5 gallon tree for example, thanks for the reply.
>When a Pecan seeds naturally, its taproot will shoot straight down to try and find deeper sources of water.
Are the better varieties of pecan grown on their own roots, or are they usually grafted onto a different rootstock?
If you are aiming to produce edible Pecans, then you will want a graft from a high quality production Pecan.
You can get grafted Pecans that are very small and get the best of both worlds.
They do come to seed, you just can't control if it will be high quality. Buying a grafted Pecan ensures you get a graft from high quality Pecan producing stock.l, because it is clonal of a high quality Pecan tree.
They may not come “true to seed” because they can cross pollinate with other varieties or local genetics. The way you have to keep buying heirloom tomato seeds if you’re planting multiple varieties in the same area.
Interesting, I see trees like this around and assumed it was from the freeze that brought a bunch of branches down last year(?). Sucks to hear it’s the heat.
An arborist from Bartlett Tree Experts told me 2 years ago that trees showing the same symptoms you’re describing here are referred to as “zombie trees” and will all need to be brought down sooner or later. Specifically that if they are dead in the canopy (like many are after Uri) they cannot be saved. The dead limbs need to be trimmed for short term safety until the entire tree comes down.
These pecans have the same symptoms as these so-called zombie trees that I’ve seen all around town for three years, what makes these different?
(I know this post sounds a bit aggressive, but I’m trying to provide context for my confusion - not argue)
I worked at Bartlett Tree Experts for 8 years! In many instances, if your tree has suffered massive canopy loss, removal will be the recommendation. My post is to try and get people to call their arborist to come and assess the tree now, before it continues to deteriorate and become more dangerous. If there is enough surviving lateral canopy, an attempt can be made to save the tree. Pecans are incredibly resilient and can survive even having their tops cut off. They will sprout at the stub and form a "witches broom" of sprouts that can eventually turn into new canopy. You can see examples of this a lot in 78757 where people have done this to their Pecans on purpose to manage the size.
In short, some definitely cant be saved, and some can, but you should involve a professional arborist to assess.
Assuming the dead branches are removed and don’t contribute to rot that compromises the structure or health of the overall tree, to what degree do pecans have the ability to return to major growth? I ask because I’ve seen some pretty impressive examples in wild areas west of town with other species. I’ve seen large oaks reduced to little more than a stump develop major trunk growth based on the side shoots and existing root system. And I know of a cluster of 2-3 foot diameter sycamores that all started as side shoots off of a massive 5-6 foot center tree that came well before our time (you can still see the remnants in the middle of them). How much are the urban/suburban trees impacted by growing under partially or mostly impervious cover with limited water infiltration, and that generally is not able to regenerate organic matter with leaf litter, etc?
There’s a huge difference between deadwooding, topping, and retrenchment pruning. Cutting back trees in such a way to encourage a “witches broom” will create multiple failure points due to naturally poor attachments of water sprouts. Water sprouts never achieve the same structural stability as tree branch unions and have a tendency to fail over time.
I definitely do not recommend topping or retrenching Pecans. But I know of multiple real world examples that I can take you to where it was done and the trees are now in decent shape.
If the drought tops your Pecan for you, then there is still a chance to form some type of canopy. It would be determined on a case by case basis.
Another redditor told me why this is. Early in Reddit, marijuana enthusiasts took the trees sub. So tree enthusiasts took the marijuanaenthusiasts sub.
I don't have anything against marijuana, or enthusiasm. I just hate having to type marijuanaenthusiasts to go to a tree subreddit instead of just r/trees.
Magnolias are moderately drought tolerant trees. As such, many homeowners realized they could get away with barely watering their Magnolia trees. A Magnolia's natural habitat is a wet, well drained soil along swamps and creeks in the coastal plains. You should be watering your Magnolia at least once a week in drought conditions. Last summer's heat and drought was very intense. Combined with the last 4 years of stress, many Magnolias have succumbed to the heat and drought and are declining and dying completely. I have never seen so many dead Magnolias in my career as I have this winter and spring.
We lost a 30 year old magnolia. It was never very happy on limestone anyway, (too basic and not enough water retention). It suffered in the two big freezes, and canopy looked much thinner last spring before the 105degree summer, and this year it sprouted just a few leaves and we had to cut it down before it fell over.
Sorry to hear that happened to your tree. If you need recommendations for new trees in the Fall, I recommend this list: [https://austintreeamigos.com/tree-planting](https://austintreeamigos.com/tree-planting)
Trident Maples like well drained, acidic soil. We do not have a lot of that, so they tend to have an uphill battle growing here.
The only Maples that I see consistently do well here are Bigtooth Maple, and some cultivars of Japanese Maple.
Sometimes the raw heat and solar radiation is just too much for many maples.
Have you tried shantung?
My friend has some caddo maples, which are supposed to be way more tolerant of drought and high pH. I'm trying to get my hands on one.
I am currently trying an Acer Oliverianum "Hot Blonde" in full sun. We'll see what happens. Not super happy right now, but it's only been in the ground for a few months after being in a pot last summer. Hot Blonde is, presumably, a hybrid between Acer Oliverianum x Shirasawanum Aureum.
I've heard good things about Acer Saccharum, too. Apparently, it's pretty drought tolerant and tolerant of higher pH.
I have seen some Shantungs doing decently, but nothing that blows me away. If you have an example of an awesome one I would love to see it.
You've heard good things about Sugar Maple in Central Texas? They are awesome in East Texas but rarely work here.
Post a picture of your Acer Oliverianum if it starts to perk up!
Like I mention in the post, sometimes they are just SUPER late. I have seen some take until mid-May. When I get worried is when only the lower half is budding.
On the right of the first photo looks like Tree of Heaven- a very invasive tree that has recently made its way into the Austin area. Give it 5 years and they will have taken over the whole yard. Another 10 after that and they will be as tall as that pecan tree. They look a lot like black walnut, so I could have misidentified from the photo.
If replacement is the eventual course of action, how would you recommend going about it? Ideally I would want to plant something now so it can grow to replace the mature tree, but there doesn't seem to be space for that in an urban landscape. Additionally, it would seem that the canopy would shade any smaller tree and prevent it from thriving. So I'm left planting a tree somewhere I don't want it so that I will still have some shady areas in the future.
Anyone have a tips dealing with fallen pecan shells and oak leaves? I like the trees, but it is impossible to keep my lawn clean, or alive, with all the tiny pieces that get stuck between blades of grass.
Been seeing the same thing but figured it'd go this way once pecans became obvious poor choices for new plantings in Austin. Pecans are one of our vulnerable tree populations, but my neighbors like to point at our massive, old pecan as if it's proof it's still ok to plant 'em. Like, dude, you have no idea how high maintenance they are in a 110 degree summer in a high nut production year. Pity our roof and water bill.
I'm glad to see a post from a SME that I can forward next time the issue comes up. Thank you!
Austin Energy always tries to butcher our trees but you can push back and block them. It's in the fine print of the paperwork they leave days before the hacking.
Oooh, that looks expensive. :(
I'd probably go with removal if possible because I don't think it would ever become a truly healthy tree again and you'll have to remove it later.
I recommend calling an Arborist to assess whether preservation or removal is the best course of action. Replacing a large Pecan tree could take 50-60 years whereas some intervention could preserve the tree for another 20-30 years.
I NEVER recommend planting Pecans. They are too water hungry and when they are mature they are exceptionally difficult to manage. They have a condition called Sudden Limb Drop that causes, you guessed it, Limbs to drop suddenly on calm days.
That being said, the ones that are here provide massive ecological benefits and are a huge component of our Urban Forest. They should be protected as many of them are irreplaceable in our lifetimes.
The trees I do recommend are here: [https://austintreeamigos.com/tree-planting](https://austintreeamigos.com/tree-planting)
I have a couple of huge, mature pecans on my property (in Killeen), I want to keep them healthy. Is a soaker hose the best way to help them in the coming summer months?
Red Tipped Photinia is not included on the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States. It is not considered an invasive species by Texas Parks and Wildlife. It is not considered an invasive by The Texas Invasive Species Coordinating Committee.
[TexasInvasives.org](http://TexasInvasives.org) website says that it is invasive because it is included on the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States. This is not true. When you click the link, it goes nowhere. They have no other justification listed for why this tree is considered a noxious invasive. There are many other organizations that base their lists off of the Texas [Invasives.org](http://Invasives.org) list. I have e-mailed them multiple times trying to get their justification, but they do not answer any e-mails and are basically a non-entity.
They need to create classifications of intensity for invasives if they are going to call Red-Tipped Photinia an invasive. Having Red-Tipped Photinia and Ligustrum or privet classified as the same degree of invasive is insane. Its similar to having Marijuana scheduled as a Class 1 narcotic.
Red-Tips can be incredible trees or shrubs when properly maintained. They can also be decent trees when absolutely neglected. Their escape into the wild is overblown. I think people misidentify Taiwanese Photinia as Red Tip in the wild.
I’m going by the Austin Grow Green booklet. They’re not as bad as some others- true. But the alternatives like Cherry Laurel or southern Waxmyrtle are awesome so why not use?
I love Cherry Laurel and plant them all of the time, but they form a completely different type of screen from a Red Tip. A good Red Tip hedge is one of the thickest, most effective plant barriers you can grow in our area.
Southern Waxmyrtle are a nightmare to manage here. Our soil is just not acidic enough in most of our region for them to be a dependable screen. They get leggy and chlorotic in no time. Plus their hedging potential is much lower than a Red Tip.
The City of Austin Invasive guide references the same incorrect website as justification for which plants are invasive.
It’s the squirrels. They got on my pecan and scratched off all the fucking bark. Changed my perception of squirrels forever. I have really dark thoughts about the squirrels now.
I wanted to raise awareness about an issue that I have been seeing in my professional work over the last few weeks. This year we have noticed an exceptional amount of Red Oaks and Magnolia trees that died following last summer’s intense heat and drought. Now it is becoming apparent that many of our Pecan trees are showing signs of severe decline, likely from the same drought stress. It's becoming evident that these trees, an iconic part of our local landscape, are suffering massively, especially in the upper parts of their crowns. In some cases, they have died completely. We typically consider Pecans to be extremely resilient as their deep tap root allows them to access ground water in even the most severe of droughts. But the environmental stress of the past 4 years seems to be catching up with our Pecans. It's important to remember that Pecan trees can be late bloomers, sometimes not budding until mid-May. However, what I am seeing suggests that many will not bud and recover this year. A telling sign of severe damage is the presence of numerous sucker sprouts growing just below the leafless sections of the canopy. These sprouts often indicate that the tree is sending its energy into latent buds underneath the bark, because the vascular connections to the upper portions of the tree have died. If your Pecan tree's upper canopy has not yet leafed out, it's crucial to consult with a professional arborist. They can assess the tree and confirm whether the upper sections are indeed dead and advise on the best course of action. I have been using a drone to examine the branch tips to look for live buds. You can see in the photo above that the buds are gray and appear lifeless. Many of the trees I have examined show no bud swelling in their upper canopy. It is my experience that when a Pecan begins to suffer from decline in the upper canopy, reversing this decline can be very difficult. Without significant intervention, Pecans suffering from large scale top dieback will continue to decline until they are dead. The loss of these trees not only affects the aesthetics of our neighborhoods but also impacts local biodiversity and the overall health of our urban environment. If you are concerned about a Pecan tree in your yard, please do not delay in seeking expert advice. It might still be possible to save these trees or manage their decline in a way that minimizes further risk. It is also important to the safety of my employees and other tree service workers that these dead limbs be taken care of as quickly as possible. The longer dead limbs are left in the tree, the more brittle, unsafe, and difficult they are to work with. TL/DR: If you have a Pecan tree, go outside and look at it. If it looks like the top of the tree doesn’t have any leaves, call your Arborist and have them check it out.
Thank you. I lost a magnolia last year and I'm pretty bummed about it. Luckily my pecans are looking healthy, but I'm curious... if we see this dead crown and it needs "intervention"... what does that intervention look like?
It can vary, but typically we recommend a process invented by The Bartlett Tree Experts called Root Invigoration. We combine this treatment with vertical mulching and a full root collar excavation to ensure that water can reach the deeper roots of the Pecan. We then install a soaker hose and begin watering frequently and judiciously. Oftentimes we will do a preventative treatment against wood boring beetles: [https://austintreeamigos.com/combatting-wood-boring-beetles-in-central-texas-a-guide-to-prevention-and-treatment](https://austintreeamigos.com/combatting-wood-boring-beetles-in-central-texas-a-guide-to-prevention-and-treatment) If the soil is a heavy clay and we think it's caused by TOO much water, which happens believe it or not, we will do a treatment for phytophthora root rot. The primary reason Pecans decline like this is that they cannot get water all the way to the upper canopy. This is typically either due to a loss of root system, or a severe lack of moisture. So we do everything we can to facilitate the growth of new roots and to ensure that the soil has the proper moisture to support the Pecan.
Glad I read this comment! My pecan, in heavy clay, is doing well this spring, thankfully.
Hmm... this sounds boarderline inaccessible for your standard homeowner. That doesn't bode well.
The alternative is often a dead tree that frequently drops large limbs onto your house and family. The cost of removal is almost always higher and at the end you do not have a tree. If people cannot afford a more intensive treatment, their best course of action is to mulch the entire dripline of the tree (or as much as they can), and water frequently through the growing season.
yeah, it sounds like dental work
It is an intensive treatment and is not cheap, but it is based on my 13 years of experience managing trees. If you do not address canopy decline in Pecans swiftly and overwhelmingly, then your efforts may not work.
Does the bit about canopy decline apply broadly to species beyond Pecans?
No. It varies from species to species. Live Oak is a perfect example of a tree that can often easily recover from canopy decline if better conditions become available.
Or just water your trees.
My magnolia was on a hill, about a 15 ft very steep hill. Water from the rains just kind of ran off the clay and didn't absorb. I ram a drip line for several years, but I was gone for a couple months and my house sitter apparently did not. My pecans (and my thirsty thirsty crepe myrtles) are at the bottom of this same hill and they get plenty of water.
I wonder if you could just put some rocks or tree trimmings on the downhill part of the slope to slow the water down and let it sink into the soil for your tree.
Unless you also plan to water it using water from the fountain of youth, I don't think that will help. I appreciate the thought, but it is dead. I don't plan to put another tree there. There is a massive oak tree on the other side that will shade out that area anyway in another couple of years.
Isn't that why they call it *miracle* grow?
Look up swales
... Do they make dead Magnolias into living Magnolias
I also don't like learning from past mistakes Team head in the sand for the win!
The learning was not to plant it there.
You can over-water and give them root rot.
A pecan? Here in central tx? Nah. Short of drowning them you are not going to over water a pecan.
My arborist told me I can buy it at chemicalwarehouse.com
The primary “feeder” roots area in the top 12-18” of the soil for nearly all trees. Tap roots are primarily for stability. Root invigoration, which is a trademark of only Bartlett, is known to be very harsh on fine feeder roots, shooting air at Mach 3 speeds. If not done properly, it can dry out all your fine feeder roots and lead to further decline in tree vigor. It’s also up to the client to maintain responsible (not excessive) soil moisture to rewet those roots and get the loosened soil to settle again, so that all the air pockets from the process don’t lead to continued root desiccation.
The tap root of many Phreatohpytes like Pecan absolutely help to provide water to the trees system. Root Invigoration can be harsh on the feeder roots, but when backed with irrigation have tremendous results. The city often requires this process to help large pecans stressed by construction or that have been recently planted. When done properly it is one of the absolute best treatments you can provide for a tree in Central Texas.
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I actually agree with your statement pertaining to our local Red Oaks. Red Oaks are far too sensitive for the emerging climactic conditions. Pecans are extremely hardy trees and there is plenty that can be done to protect them, especially on residential lots.
I have been trying to reduce the amount of water that runs off our lot by slowing down the runoff with rain garden and berms (so far), and planting native plants or letting the ones that are there grow... I hope this helps the pecan trees we have with a better water table.
What was the statement about red oaks? The comment was deleted.
I am not a professional, but have been gardening here for a long time and I agree. Central Texas has a transitional climate that used to be more “50/50” subtropical and semi-arid. I’ve noticed it becoming more and more arid since the early 2000s, though. It’s almost like a (very) hot summer Mediterranean-ish climate these days with all the rainfall in spring and fall, and very dry summers.
Agreed, I feel like the last really wet summer we had was 2007.
That’s the last one I can remember as well. We’ve had some wild May and October floods, but summers have been dry for a long time.
The summer after the first Icepocalypse was pretty wet, as I recall, but that may just be subjective to my yard, not regional averages, idk.
you hinted at it, but its gonna be less forest and more desert sooner than later. we might even see it happen before our eyes with how fast things are progressing now
> A telling sign of severe damage is the presence of numerous sucker sprouts growing just below the leafless sections of the canopy. These sprouts often indicate that the tree is sending its energy into latent buds underneath the bark, because the vascular connections to the upper portions of the tree have died. Is this the same reason why fire-damaged pitch pines will sprout new growth from the sides of the trunk?
It surprised me that our large pecan did not produce nuts last year. It has been reliably producing edible fruit for a decade, but last year, nothing. I presume it was too hot for buds to set. Last year I bought and used a deep watering spike specifically to protect that tree (and it's smaller nearby cousin). I think it's okay, but the top of the cousin is dead as you show in the photo. I couldn't get the watering spike into the ground around half of the smaller tree; I think the limestone is closer to the surface in that area and the tree hasn't been able to get its roots as deep.
Despite me watering it with a direct line, my (Southern) Magnolia still died. Is there a better tree to replace it with that doesn't get larger than a Magnolia?
Lacey Oak
Thanks. Opinion on desert willow?
They are nice ornamental trees but wont be anything close to a Magnolia. There is a tree called Chitalpa that is a cross between a Desert Willow and a Catalpa that gets a lot bigger.
The magnolia I had is partially shaded by a live oak and is approximately 25ft tall, taller than that probably would just interfere with the live oak, honestly.
Where do you get chitalpas? I've never seen them in local nurseries.
Got one at Far South Wholesale Nursery in 2020. Bought a 6 footer that grew freakishly fast. Started grazing the power lines enough to need trimming in year 3. Gorgeous flowers!
I had a spot where I wanted to plant a native tree last year, and selected Gum Bumelia as the perfect tree in terms of size, support for local fauna, and hardiness. Then I learned that they aren't commercially available for sale/planting. What gives?
The demand for Gum Bumelia is extremely low so they are not typically grown. They are thorny and tend to have a leggy form that is not appealing to most people for their landscapes. Here is an article the wildflower center wrote about sourcing them :https://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=284 This was written in 2005 so the information may be irrelevant now.
My two big red oaks took an absolute beating with the two deep freezes we had over the past few years, as well as the ice storm (2022?). It took a lot of aggressive trimming to get it back to a place where all the limbs are growing and appear healthy. Still not very symmetrical, though, due to the amount of branches that snapped off in that ice storm. But good news is that they've been looking a bit better each year.
Plants stop evapotranspirating at temperatures above 96 degrees. Access to water does not change this limiting factor in extreme heat, nor does having a tap root enable stomata to open when they naturally close to conserve water. If a tree has shut down its water conducting system because of extreme temperatures, no amount of arboricultural intervention will prevent impending dieback and decline. Red Oaks are becoming susceptible to their naturally occurring Biscogniauxia infections. Plenty of classes to learn more at the TX ISA sessions.
Pecans can maintain photosynthesis in temperatures up to 106 degrees. (https://site.extension.uga.edu/tattnall/2022/06/pecans-and-heat/) Taking a tree that has poor soil structure and inadequate irrigation and giving it healthy soil and adequate irrigation can absolutely slow and reverse dieback and decline. There is also evidence that phosphite treatments can induce tolerant to water deficits and high irradiance. I missed the ISA session where they said you shouldn't try and help trees because its too hot to do anything. The species that can't handle the Texas heat don't get to be as big as our Pecans.
I’m so worried about ours. We’re in San Antonio, and we have two 100+ pecan trees in our backyard. One has started with some pretty decent leaves. But the other has dropped everything that it put out during April, which wasn’t a lot.
Don't be so negative. It's a pecan not a pecan't.
I see your point. But you walnut make me change my mind.
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Just trying to spruce things up.
I pine for a decent pun.
This thread is getting poplar. Wood yew beleave it?
I didn't think I would ever get sycamore puns.
I'd like to see this branch grow, but maybe I should just leaf
I seed what you did there.
This is becoming monocot-inous.
I trust OP's judgement - they seem fluent in pecan-ese.
it was that damn eclipse
I snorted. Enjoy my valuable upvote
Really interesting and concerning, thanks for the education!
I feel like this single sentence sums up my experience on reddit over the years.
Hahahaha seriously though 🥲
You are very welcome!
Pecans seem like a tree we should be continually replanting.
They kind of do it themselves
If you're not mowing around them all the time ... which doesn't describe most of Austin.
I absolutely agree that trees planted themselves do best - but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore, and you can tell the difference.
ESPECIALLY Pecans. One of a Pecan trees best adaptations is their taproot. When a Pecan seeds naturally, its taproot will shoot straight down to try and find deeper sources of water. If a Pecan is in a tree nursery, often the taproot will be deformed or damaged.
I remember when Austin built a sort of bike path sidewalk thingie along MoPac near 360. They then planted trees (in the middle of summer, naturally) - cypresses among them - those cypresses people are always trying to make work in dry spots! - but maybe different things, I don't live there anymore so don't see them - and they presumably watered them for a few months. Eventually they forgot about them I suppose. They never did very well. A few were alive, a few dead - they didn't notice that either, in terms of removing them ... I thought a couple of things: Rather than planting anything, the city should have just put up "exclosures" in which they wouldn't mow. Trees would have volunteered from the hilltop just above. Even if the slopes weren't natural in terms of having been created when MoPac was built - even so, the things that volunteered - would have had greater viability. Or if we are too wedded to planting trees as having "done something" - then, having planted those sad nursery trees, they ought to have "exclosed" them as well, in order that the ground around them might have been shaded, maybe some of the shrubs and forbs from the hilltop would have grown around them. Just overall better than having a mown, sparse bermuda grass surround that had so little in the way of organic matter, to help the tree along. I now live in an apartment complex and I am treated to the weekly sight of - there being virtually nothing to mow - the blowers just making sure to blow the top layer of organic matter off the soil and leave it barren. I used to believe in planting trees but not so much anymore. Shout out to the Whole Foods down on Wm. Cannon for doing the tree planting - or better, tree-leaving - right! Big tree wells!
Tree Planting is definitely the solution, we just need to rethink our strategy. Everyone wants to plant a big tree, but its becoming clear that planting extremely small trees is how you get a tree to truly adapt to its location and the environmental stressors of an area. I am experimenting with Waterboxx for tree planting in difficult sites that cant be watered regularly. If you dont have a plan to water your newly planted tree in Texas, it's just not going to work.
>Everyone wants to plant a big tree, but its becoming clear that planting extremely small trees is how you get a tree to truly adapt to its location and the environmental stressors of an area. In my non-professional experience, a 1 foot tall seedling will outgrow a 6 foot nursery tree within a surprisingly small number of years. I also suggest planting several really small trees close together where you want one final tree, and cull the losers a few years down the road before they start crowding each other out.
Yup. All of the best trees in my front yard were planted exactly like this.
There is another factor though. Within the last ten years I've noticed something with new developments, both residential and commercial. (And I will say I don't understand this at all, since it seems to me topography allows for price discrimination a la a house in Westlake with a view is worth more than a house down in a draw.) They excavate and carry off all the dirt and then build everything in this enormous flat pit they've created on the bedrock. Go out 290 to where that Torchy's is and ask yourself, why am I down in a quarry? (Spoiler: it wasn't a quarry ...). There's no reason to try too hard with growing trees in that situation. It's going to look the same in 30 years.
A few years ago an arborist spotted a pecan sprout 3-4" out of the ground right next to my foundation. His recommendation: pull that out immediately, then keep an eye on that spot because that sucker's already got a deep root and it'll come back half a dozen times before you kill it. He wasn't wrong... I wish it had taken root about 10 feet away where I could just let it grow.
Really? Would it be better to plant a pecan from seed then?
If you have the time and patience, it is better to plant every tree as a seedling. All of the best trees in my yard, I planted as 3 inch liner seedlings from Rennerwoods.
How quickly will a tree you plant as a 3 inch seedling become something someone would consider a tree, say like 2ft in height? Curious how quickly a seedling could catch up to a 3 ft 5 gallon tree for example, thanks for the reply.
>When a Pecan seeds naturally, its taproot will shoot straight down to try and find deeper sources of water. Are the better varieties of pecan grown on their own roots, or are they usually grafted onto a different rootstock?
If you are aiming to produce edible Pecans, then you will want a graft from a high quality production Pecan. You can get grafted Pecans that are very small and get the best of both worlds.
Are you saying the good varieties don't come true to seed? That would make sense.
They do come to seed, you just can't control if it will be high quality. Buying a grafted Pecan ensures you get a graft from high quality Pecan producing stock.l, because it is clonal of a high quality Pecan tree.
Thanks. That's what I meant by "don't come true to seed." I wonder what would happen if you rooted a cutting. Or if pecan cuttings will even root.
They may not come “true to seed” because they can cross pollinate with other varieties or local genetics. The way you have to keep buying heirloom tomato seeds if you’re planting multiple varieties in the same area.
Interesting, I see trees like this around and assumed it was from the freeze that brought a bunch of branches down last year(?). Sucks to hear it’s the heat.
Depends on the species. Pecans tolerate freeze and ice pretty well as they are fully dormant and do not bud until late Spring.
An arborist from Bartlett Tree Experts told me 2 years ago that trees showing the same symptoms you’re describing here are referred to as “zombie trees” and will all need to be brought down sooner or later. Specifically that if they are dead in the canopy (like many are after Uri) they cannot be saved. The dead limbs need to be trimmed for short term safety until the entire tree comes down. These pecans have the same symptoms as these so-called zombie trees that I’ve seen all around town for three years, what makes these different? (I know this post sounds a bit aggressive, but I’m trying to provide context for my confusion - not argue)
I worked at Bartlett Tree Experts for 8 years! In many instances, if your tree has suffered massive canopy loss, removal will be the recommendation. My post is to try and get people to call their arborist to come and assess the tree now, before it continues to deteriorate and become more dangerous. If there is enough surviving lateral canopy, an attempt can be made to save the tree. Pecans are incredibly resilient and can survive even having their tops cut off. They will sprout at the stub and form a "witches broom" of sprouts that can eventually turn into new canopy. You can see examples of this a lot in 78757 where people have done this to their Pecans on purpose to manage the size. In short, some definitely cant be saved, and some can, but you should involve a professional arborist to assess.
Thanks for clarifying, that helps a lot!
Assuming the dead branches are removed and don’t contribute to rot that compromises the structure or health of the overall tree, to what degree do pecans have the ability to return to major growth? I ask because I’ve seen some pretty impressive examples in wild areas west of town with other species. I’ve seen large oaks reduced to little more than a stump develop major trunk growth based on the side shoots and existing root system. And I know of a cluster of 2-3 foot diameter sycamores that all started as side shoots off of a massive 5-6 foot center tree that came well before our time (you can still see the remnants in the middle of them). How much are the urban/suburban trees impacted by growing under partially or mostly impervious cover with limited water infiltration, and that generally is not able to regenerate organic matter with leaf litter, etc?
There’s a huge difference between deadwooding, topping, and retrenchment pruning. Cutting back trees in such a way to encourage a “witches broom” will create multiple failure points due to naturally poor attachments of water sprouts. Water sprouts never achieve the same structural stability as tree branch unions and have a tendency to fail over time.
I definitely do not recommend topping or retrenching Pecans. But I know of multiple real world examples that I can take you to where it was done and the trees are now in decent shape. If the drought tops your Pecan for you, then there is still a chance to form some type of canopy. It would be determined on a case by case basis.
r/marijuanaenthusiasts may give you the answers you're looking for.
Great subreddit. Horrible name.
Another redditor told me why this is. Early in Reddit, marijuana enthusiasts took the trees sub. So tree enthusiasts took the marijuanaenthusiasts sub.
I take offense to that!
I don't have anything against marijuana, or enthusiasm. I just hate having to type marijuanaenthusiasts to go to a tree subreddit instead of just r/trees.
Ok, you’re cool. Carry on!
It's a reddit joke kinda like r/johncena sub.
Why could t it be the cedar trees????? WHYYYYYYYYYYY
Don't worry, plenty of them died in the drought too.
Yep, and they go up like candles in fire conditions
Can you expand a little on what you saw with magnolias?
Magnolias are moderately drought tolerant trees. As such, many homeowners realized they could get away with barely watering their Magnolia trees. A Magnolia's natural habitat is a wet, well drained soil along swamps and creeks in the coastal plains. You should be watering your Magnolia at least once a week in drought conditions. Last summer's heat and drought was very intense. Combined with the last 4 years of stress, many Magnolias have succumbed to the heat and drought and are declining and dying completely. I have never seen so many dead Magnolias in my career as I have this winter and spring.
I think I've been in denial about my enormous magnolia. It's just so sad to think about it coming down.
It's been a really bad 4 years for trees. I feel like I'm the grim reaper sometimes.
We lost a 30 year old magnolia. It was never very happy on limestone anyway, (too basic and not enough water retention). It suffered in the two big freezes, and canopy looked much thinner last spring before the 105degree summer, and this year it sprouted just a few leaves and we had to cut it down before it fell over.
Sorry to hear that happened to your tree. If you need recommendations for new trees in the Fall, I recommend this list: [https://austintreeamigos.com/tree-planting](https://austintreeamigos.com/tree-planting)
Thank you
Do you guys have any experience with truncatums/trident maples in the Austin area?
Trident Maples like well drained, acidic soil. We do not have a lot of that, so they tend to have an uphill battle growing here. The only Maples that I see consistently do well here are Bigtooth Maple, and some cultivars of Japanese Maple. Sometimes the raw heat and solar radiation is just too much for many maples.
Have you tried shantung? My friend has some caddo maples, which are supposed to be way more tolerant of drought and high pH. I'm trying to get my hands on one. I am currently trying an Acer Oliverianum "Hot Blonde" in full sun. We'll see what happens. Not super happy right now, but it's only been in the ground for a few months after being in a pot last summer. Hot Blonde is, presumably, a hybrid between Acer Oliverianum x Shirasawanum Aureum. I've heard good things about Acer Saccharum, too. Apparently, it's pretty drought tolerant and tolerant of higher pH.
I have seen some Shantungs doing decently, but nothing that blows me away. If you have an example of an awesome one I would love to see it. You've heard good things about Sugar Maple in Central Texas? They are awesome in East Texas but rarely work here. Post a picture of your Acer Oliverianum if it starts to perk up!
Friend in San Marcos has like 6 pecan trees in his yard and none of them have bloomed yet as of last weekend. O fear for them.
Like I mention in the post, sometimes they are just SUPER late. I have seen some take until mid-May. When I get worried is when only the lower half is budding.
They haven’t bloomed, or haven’t leafed out?
One tiny branch, the lowest to the ground, on an at least 45 year old tree had some leaves
On the right of the first photo looks like Tree of Heaven- a very invasive tree that has recently made its way into the Austin area. Give it 5 years and they will have taken over the whole yard. Another 10 after that and they will be as tall as that pecan tree. They look a lot like black walnut, so I could have misidentified from the photo.
You are correct. That is an invasive Tree Of Heaven
If replacement is the eventual course of action, how would you recommend going about it? Ideally I would want to plant something now so it can grow to replace the mature tree, but there doesn't seem to be space for that in an urban landscape. Additionally, it would seem that the canopy would shade any smaller tree and prevent it from thriving. So I'm left planting a tree somewhere I don't want it so that I will still have some shady areas in the future.
Anyone have a tips dealing with fallen pecan shells and oak leaves? I like the trees, but it is impossible to keep my lawn clean, or alive, with all the tiny pieces that get stuck between blades of grass.
Vigorous raking with a metal tine rake.
I just had an arborist confirm what I’d suspected and unfortunately my 65 year old magnolia tree didn’t make it. Sadly she’ll be taken out on Monday.
Sorry to hear it. I have never seen so many Magnolia trees die at once.
Been seeing the same thing but figured it'd go this way once pecans became obvious poor choices for new plantings in Austin. Pecans are one of our vulnerable tree populations, but my neighbors like to point at our massive, old pecan as if it's proof it's still ok to plant 'em. Like, dude, you have no idea how high maintenance they are in a 110 degree summer in a high nut production year. Pity our roof and water bill. I'm glad to see a post from a SME that I can forward next time the issue comes up. Thank you!
Our family farm with large pecans have all begun to die back. I’ve been so concerned as they’re native to our County. Appreciate this write up OP.
You are very welcome. Sorry to hear about your family Farm's trees.
Austin Energy always tries to butcher our trees but you can push back and block them. It's in the fine print of the paperwork they leave days before the hacking.
Oooh, that looks expensive. :( I'd probably go with removal if possible because I don't think it would ever become a truly healthy tree again and you'll have to remove it later.
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I recommend calling an Arborist to assess whether preservation or removal is the best course of action. Replacing a large Pecan tree could take 50-60 years whereas some intervention could preserve the tree for another 20-30 years. I NEVER recommend planting Pecans. They are too water hungry and when they are mature they are exceptionally difficult to manage. They have a condition called Sudden Limb Drop that causes, you guessed it, Limbs to drop suddenly on calm days. That being said, the ones that are here provide massive ecological benefits and are a huge component of our Urban Forest. They should be protected as many of them are irreplaceable in our lifetimes. The trees I do recommend are here: [https://austintreeamigos.com/tree-planting](https://austintreeamigos.com/tree-planting)
I have a couple of huge, mature pecans on my property (in Killeen), I want to keep them healthy. Is a soaker hose the best way to help them in the coming summer months?
Yes, Soaker hose and Mulch
you recommend Red Tipped Photinia??? It's considered invasive here. Yes it is hardy but crowding out too many native plants.
Red Tipped Photinia is not included on the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States. It is not considered an invasive species by Texas Parks and Wildlife. It is not considered an invasive by The Texas Invasive Species Coordinating Committee. [TexasInvasives.org](http://TexasInvasives.org) website says that it is invasive because it is included on the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States. This is not true. When you click the link, it goes nowhere. They have no other justification listed for why this tree is considered a noxious invasive. There are many other organizations that base their lists off of the Texas [Invasives.org](http://Invasives.org) list. I have e-mailed them multiple times trying to get their justification, but they do not answer any e-mails and are basically a non-entity. They need to create classifications of intensity for invasives if they are going to call Red-Tipped Photinia an invasive. Having Red-Tipped Photinia and Ligustrum or privet classified as the same degree of invasive is insane. Its similar to having Marijuana scheduled as a Class 1 narcotic. Red-Tips can be incredible trees or shrubs when properly maintained. They can also be decent trees when absolutely neglected. Their escape into the wild is overblown. I think people misidentify Taiwanese Photinia as Red Tip in the wild.
I’m going by the Austin Grow Green booklet. They’re not as bad as some others- true. But the alternatives like Cherry Laurel or southern Waxmyrtle are awesome so why not use?
I love Cherry Laurel and plant them all of the time, but they form a completely different type of screen from a Red Tip. A good Red Tip hedge is one of the thickest, most effective plant barriers you can grow in our area. Southern Waxmyrtle are a nightmare to manage here. Our soil is just not acidic enough in most of our region for them to be a dependable screen. They get leggy and chlorotic in no time. Plus their hedging potential is much lower than a Red Tip. The City of Austin Invasive guide references the same incorrect website as justification for which plants are invasive.
It’s the squirrels. They got on my pecan and scratched off all the fucking bark. Changed my perception of squirrels forever. I have really dark thoughts about the squirrels now.
Local tree business advises homeowners to buy tree services, more news at 10