We live in Northern Kentucky on a farm. We have hundreds of black walnut,
oak (at least 8 different oaks), maple, sycamore, locust, cottonwood,
etc.,
etc. to make comparisons.

The black walnut are always the last to get their leaves in the spring.
And
they are always the first to lose their leaves in the fall. No ifs, ands
or
buts, always.

During the drought last year the garden centers and extension offices and
agriculture departments were all predicting a hard summer for hardwoods
this
year because of that drought. Apparently the drought's effects are seen
mostly in the following leaf season. With some residual effects for up to
10 years. I was just noticing a few weeks ago that quite a few trees have
fewer leaves to start and are losing quite a few already. But they all
seem
to have brown spots on their leaves. Not just one species, or age group,
or
site, but all of the hardwoods.

We have these 2 elm trees at the top of the driveway. They are
magnificent.
One on each side of the gravel drive which is only about 10 feet wide, if
that. If you stand under them and look up it appears that there is a
natural ceiling of leaves. Just a really great shape, like this huge
umbrella. Reminds me why I love nature so much. Anyway, these trees have
less leaves and quite a few branches that aren't looking too healthy.

Hoping all of this is what the 'experts' were predicting and not a really
nasty something starting to develop.

Judy -- You guys are just the other side of the drink; I'm over in Cincy.
It's good to know I'm not alone.

Like you, I've noticed a number of my trees are not doing as well as I would
expect. My crab apple has dark spots on the leaves as do the maples. My
redbuds have certainly seen better days -- they didn't really leaf out as
well as I'd hoped and the leaves have been droopy all season long. Even the
lilacs are droopy.

James