"Nevyn" wrote in message ...
Hello!
A massive heat wave came through yesterday (40 degrees celcius) and COOKED
my 10 yr old chinese elm. The leaves have shrivled and come crispy and
fall
off when u touch them. I wasnt home at the time, otherwise Id have moved
him. He's still green inside, and has tiny green soft branches which
havent
dried - will he recover? I soaked him in cool water with root hormones and
feterlizer. Will the leaves recover? Or do I have to wait till next
spring?
(He drops and rebuds at spring).


Hi Nevyn,

It's a Chinese Elm, you are in .au (so am I - where are you?), they are damn
near indestructable, don't worry.

The fact that the leaves have crisped is a worry (but not a huge one), wait
another day to make sure they are truly dead, then snip them off at the base
of the leaf (not the 'stalk'?). If it's got the new green shoots on it,
unshriveled, then it should be ok.

Move it to dappled shade (ie. not open sun or total shade, but something
that flickers, maybe 50%). If you do not have benches/stands placing the
tree on leaf covered/ground covering foliage ground will be helpful also. Do
NOT over water, eg. stick a wooden paddle pop stick into the soil and only
water when the soil end comes out as very nearly dry.

My C.Elms in Perth have thrived through a month of temps ranging around
40degC and several days of 45degC plus (one of 48.7degC!!). The Trident
Maples were looking a bit crispy round the edges though! lol

Cheers,

Heidi Aussie