I have a Birch tree, in Modesto California, which was planted about 11 years
ago. It has grown tall, strong and healthy through the years. I recently
had a professional gardener look at it, and she told me it was in great
shape. She did warn me about having too much ivy or foliage around the
base, as it can easily starve the birch of water and nutients. The area
around the tree has been watered from every other day to every day over the
years, more in the summer, from 15 to 20 minutes. Maybe this climate and
the watering schedule have been very good to the tree. It gets hot there
(high 90s, sometimes over 100) in the summer, but not too cold low 40s to
high 50s in the winter. I just thought that this might help provide some
inside into what a healthy Birch has experienced, for what it is worth.
Lucas

"Doug" wrote in message
...
We have (err, had) a nice looking birch tree in our front yard (about
25-30ft high). This year the tree has yet to get any leaves, or buds
for that matter. Some of the branches still have dead leaves dangling
from last fall.

I was thinking that the tree was pretty much dead as a doornail, and
was planning to take it down. Until this weekend ...

While driving around through other towns I noticed a lot of other
birch trees in the same shape. In my mother inlaws condo complex they
have several neatly groomed and well maintained garden areas. In one
area alone there are 4 birch trees. Of those 4, only 1 had any leaves.
The other 3 were just like ours.

Think it would be safe to assume that it is indeed dead, or do birch
trees ever go through some sort of extended dormant period? (pulling
at strings, I know).


Doug.