Is it too early for the leaves to fall?

Green fingers · Hazel Tree Joined: 29 Apr 2009 Posts: 22 Location: Cork

I have a tree out the front " flowering cherry", the leaves are falling off it goodo.

Is that normal at this time? It does not seem to be happening with any of the others. We do live in a very windy area.

Any ideas? Question

kindredspirit · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 12:24 pm Post subject:

While travelling the country yesterday, saw quite a few trees with autumn colours on some leaves but I was gobsmacked about 4pm when I saw a massive horsechestnut with every leaf on it turned gold, russet and brown.

James Kilkelly, was GPI. · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:06 pm Post subject:

Saw the exact same with a horse chestnut myself the other day kindredspirit.
Early colouration in trees can be brought on by any number of factors.
Waterlogging, root damage/compaction, etc.

walltoall

Interesting and topical topic. I've a mulberry with one branch leading the fall! The leaves are still there but over the past ten days they have been turning gold. My birch out front is just beginning to show signs of turning. The rhubarb is also going: earliest I've ever seen it do that. I think we MAY be in for a very early autumn. Comments?

Guelder · Hazel Tree Joined: 20 Sep 2007 Posts: 14

Sarah Evans · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:21 am Post subject:

We have had several customers in this week asking the same question. They seem assured when they see some of our specimens are in the same stage.

Sarah

Foxylock · Ash Tree Joined: 08 Aug 2009 Posts: 237 Location: cork

Yes I've also noticed this on my ornamental plum tree ( prunus nigra ) it has lost nearly half of it's leaves. And some of my beech hedging is turning to the autumn colurs already. I hope we don't get an early winter.

Garlicbreath · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 8:01 pm Post subject:

I have a flowering cherry that has been looking very bare all summer. There are very few leaves on it although I can see no sign of disease or damage. My neighbour and another friend who lives nearby have both lost flowering cherries this year. Is there something going on Has anyone else had a problem with cherries?

Foxylock · Ash Tree Joined: 08 Aug 2009 Posts: 237 Location: cork

I lost a mountain ash and a willow this year. Both were planted bare root in 2004 so were well established.

treehugger · Hazel Tree Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Posts: 8

I have noticed the leaves on quite a few trees turning to their autumn colours as early as 3 weeks ago,,my theory is they have used up extra carbohydrate stores enduring the bitterly cold winter we experienced last year/this year; which may have shortened their growing season,,or is it a sign of another bad winter ahead?

Protein · Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:26 pm Post subject:

I have several beech trees, but only one has nearly lost all its leaves.

me

Garlicbreath · Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 1:08 am Post subject:

I've been on the lookout since I spotted this thread and it still looks like mid summer here!

catman · Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:24 pm Post subject:

I have noticed this too, especially on the golf course. All the leaves have been turning Autumn colours over the last month and on Sunday it was extremely hard to find the ball amongst all the leaves on the ground. This is usually the case at the start of October.

medieval knievel · Sessile Oak Tree Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 318

i'm convinced that half the trees opposite the GPO in dublin are dying - the leaves started to go brown a couple of months ago, but they looked unhealthy rather than preparing for the winter drop.
that coupled with the fact that in the last four to six weeks, some of these trees have put on new leaf growth doesn't strike me as a good thing - is it normal for a tree shutting down for the winter to put on sporadic new leaf growth?