I dont post often. I tend to lurk but I have a problem.

I have a Rowen tree ( one that has white berries not the usual red ones).
Its a centre piece in my garden ( inherited ) and I am guessing is about 15
years old. I have been in this house 10 years and it was I think planted by
my predecessor , circa 1994. I have pictures from 1996 which show it as a
smallish tree. It might be a fraction older.

That the preable. Anyway , its died suddenly. It started out the season
budding and leafing and now the leaves have died back and shriveled. I have
tried breaking a stem and it seems to be dying back. There is one branch -
and offshoot which still seems to be alive but that might also have some die
back on it.

I have done nothing to the tree. I have done nothing to the garden and
nothing else seems to have a problem. Any suggestions as to what might be
wrong? Is it going to die? Should I take the whole thing out? Or is it just
this years growth and should I cut it back . Or something else?

Thanks for any advice.

Sounds like 'Die-back' disease caused by Phytophthora, a fungus-like
organism found on the root system. If that's what it is then nothing can be
done, and other plants nearby might be affected. It mainly attacks Prunus
(same family as Rowan) and conifers. You often see whole conifer hedges
turning brown from it. There is no cure.

I never heard of Phytophthora affecting Rowan until now but I see from
http://www.phytophthoradb.org/pdf/O16GEOFFREY.pdf
that it has recently been detected on Sorbus species.

Best of luck and I hope it turns out to be something else.

R.

"endymion" wrote in message
...
I dont post often. I tend to lurk but I have a problem.

I have a Rowen tree ( one that has white berries not the usual red ones).
Its a centre piece in my garden ( inherited ) and I am guessing is about
15 years old. I have been in this house 10 years and it was I think
planted by my predecessor , circa 1994. I have pictures from 1996 which
show it as a smallish tree. It might be a fraction older.

That the preable. Anyway , its died suddenly. It started out the season
budding and leafing and now the leaves have died back and shriveled. I
have tried breaking a stem and it seems to be dying back. There is one
branch - and offshoot which still seems to be alive but that might also
have some die back on it.

I have done nothing to the tree. I have done nothing to the garden and
nothing else seems to have a problem. Any suggestions as to what might be
wrong? Is it going to die? Should I take the whole thing out? Or is it
just this years growth and should I cut it back . Or something else?

Thanks for any advice.

endymion wrote:
I dont post often. I tend to lurk but I have a problem.

I have a Rowen tree ( one that has white berries not the usual red ones).
Its a centre piece in my garden ( inherited ) and I am guessing is about
15 years old. I have been in this house 10 years and it was I think
planted by my predecessor , circa 1994. I have pictures from 1996 which
show it as a smallish tree. It might be a fraction older.

That the preable. Anyway , its died suddenly. It started out the season
budding and leafing and now the leaves have died back and shriveled. I
have tried breaking a stem and it seems to be dying back. There is one
branch - and offshoot which still seems to be alive but that might also
have some die back on it.

I have done nothing to the tree. I have done nothing to the garden and
nothing else seems to have a problem. Any suggestions as to what might be
wrong? Is it going to die? Should I take the whole thing out? Or is it
just this years growth and should I cut it back . Or something else?

Thanks for any advice.

Unfortunately it looks as though Ragnar has found the likely cause. If it
is phytophthora, don't compost anything from it. If you can, cut it down
(trying as carefully as possible not to spread any sawdust around) and burn
it.

--
Jeff

Ragnar wrote:
Sounds like 'Die-back' disease caused by Phytophthora, a fungus-like
organism found on the root system. If that's what it is then nothing can be
done, and other plants nearby might be affected. It mainly attacks Prunus
(same family as Rowan) and conifers. You often see whole conifer hedges
turning brown from it. There is no cure.

I never heard of Phytophthora affecting Rowan until now but I see from
http://www.phytophthoradb.org/pdf/O16GEOFFREY.pdf
that it has recently been detected on Sorbus species.

Best of luck and I hope it turns out to be something else.


Um, that's a rather dire diagnosis for little data...

I think your link indicates Sorbus may be a potential host species,
that's not the same as being susceptible.

The main pathogen of danger here is Phytophthora ramorum, anyway,
although obviously there are other species. The whole subject is
controversial. I've been told there's anecdotal evidence that
Aliete Fungicide offers some help for some Phytphthora, it was no
help to me (the patient died) probably because it was a different
pathogen.

http://rapra.csl.gov.uk/objectives/w...archResult.cfm

may be of interest.

Hmm I do see elsewhere that Phytophthora cactorum may colonize Rowans,
but of course it could be anything from fusarium to honey fungus, from
the info we've got. Or maybe it's a less hardy species and it didn't
like the winter past, goodness knows my garden suffered.

I'd cut off and burn all the dead wood, see if it starts to recover.
If you're not patient or you have a small garden, replace it.

HTH

-E

R.

"endymion" wrote in message
...
I dont post often. I tend to lurk but I have a problem.

I have a Rowen tree ( one that has white berries not the usual red ones).
Its a centre piece in my garden ( inherited ) and I am guessing is about
15 years old. I have been in this house 10 years and it was I think
planted by my predecessor , circa 1994. I have pictures from 1996 which
show it as a smallish tree. It might be a fraction older.

That the preable. Anyway , its died suddenly. It started out the season
budding and leafing and now the leaves have died back and shriveled. I
have tried breaking a stem and it seems to be dying back. There is one
branch - and offshoot which still seems to be alive but that might also
have some die back on it.

I have done nothing to the tree. I have done nothing to the garden and
nothing else seems to have a problem. Any suggestions as to what might be
wrong? Is it going to die? Should I take the whole thing out? Or is it
just this years growth and should I cut it back . Or something else?

Thanks for any advice.

"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
...
endymion wrote:


Unfortunately it looks as though Ragnar has found the likely cause. If it
is phytophthora, don't compost anything from it. If you can, cut it down
(trying as carefully as possible not to spread any sawdust around) and
burn it.

I think that must be correct. I chopped down all the dead stuff just because
I was loathed to cut the whole tree . There were still a couple of branches
on an off shoot of the orginal trunk that looked alive. However, I moticed
today that one of those is going the same way. Its starts at the top of the
branch and works down. It seems to be happening after the tree has leafed
and flowered but jut before it gets to berries.

Anyway, I have taken all the branches off now and am waiting for my husband
to put a chain saw through the main trunk . Its all being piled on the
burning heap we have.

Thanks for the help.