On Tue, 22 May 2007 22:45:13 GMT, Ron Hardin
wrote:

Leon Fisk wrote:
Don't fret Autumn Olives fragility, they are the most
tenacious tree/shrub I know off...

The skillfully timed freeze certainly killed mine off. They don't
look healthy at all, with perhaps a dozen leaves total.

I like them for the fruits, which the birds eat. I'd prefer Russian
Olive, which keeps the fruits through winter, but it won't grow at all
in the Central Ohio clay.

Buffalo Berry thrives, but unfortunately has never produced a fruit.
I must have gotten a dozen males or something.

The most successful for winter fruit have been Washington Hawthorne
and Smooth Sumac. The latter reproduces everywhere, which is handy.

I scythe down what turns up encroaching in the lawn.

I took a closer look at the ones flowering around here right
now. Most of them were completely girdled by rabbits last
winter (it was a hard winter for wabbits). I don't mean just
a little bit around here and there, the rabbits cleaned off
10-12 inches of bark. This was on shrubs that were up to 1
inch in diameter, maybe even larger. They are flowering okay
but these branches/trunks are dead, much like you are
describing. However they have already pushed suckers up from
the roots that are 8-12 inches high.

Have you taken a good look at the base/trunk of your shrubs
for girdling? I would be really, really surprised if they
don't push up new growth regardless of the cause...

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
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