What is going on with my trees?

Question

I have 2 ornamental plum trees that the tops branches are not leafing. These 2 trees have been here since about 1986 the neighbor in the court helped plant them.  I thought the trees were just getting old though they are still flowering and giving fruit for the birds.  But now I noticed that a young tree that I planted about 6 or 7 years ago, a type of maple, which gives pink flowers in the spring time and no fruit is having the same issue.  Most branches are leafing but some of the very top twig/branches are not leafing.  Any ideas what is going on?  Now I noticed  the neighbor has a tree about 15 years old doing that same thing, so 4 trees with similar issues, they are all in the same area but they all have plenty of sun and we have a sprinkler system,is it lack of water?

Joe · Accepted Answer

I'm not an expert like most on here, but your issue sounds exactly like many of the trees on my 20 acres this year. I have tons of maple, apple and walnut and we had a cold snap in early May with some snow after things had started to bud and my trees look just as you are describing. Most of the tops look dead, but yesterday I noticed them starting to bud back out. 
I wouldn't do anything drastic for a few more weeks if you may have had some cold weather in early/mid spring like I did here...they will come back.

? · Answer

I would think that either it is related to some sort of unusual weather conditions this year or your trees have picked up a disease which is causing dieback. Either way there is not much you can do to change the problem.. With the problem, occurring on two different properties at the same time it is unlikely to be a watering problem. By the way are you sure the young tree you mentioned is a maple? I have never heard of any maple with pink flowers.

Woody · Answer

Your trees are affected by dieback,unlikely to be due to lack of water as a sprinkler is used.Plum trees can suffer silver leaf disease,which is very obvious.
Other causes include bootlace fungus in the soil,wind burn if the treetops are exposed to severe cold winds or pests.
Suggest taking samples of the affected foliage to the County analyst for expert advice,or ask a tree surgeon.

What is going on with my trees?

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