Bradford Pear-1/3 of tree has stunted/deformed leaves

[jimmylee]

For the last 2 or 3 years I have had a problem with our Bradford Pear. Two thirds of the tree are fine. One third blooms and puts out new leaves 3 to 5 weeks after the rest of the tree. The leaves that do come out are small and deformed. Some of the branch tips are bare for about a foot. Too much weed killer was suggested as the cause but that is not the case. Does any one have any suggestions?

[Leslie Finical Halleck]

There are a couple of possibilities:

Cotton Root Rot
You will most likely see disease symptoms show up in June and continue through September. This is when the soil temperatures reach 28oC (82oF). The first symptoms are slight yellowing or bronzing of leaves followed by wilting. Plants die suddenly after the first symptoms of wilting. Leaves remain firmly attached to the plant. Affected plants die suddenly, often after excellent growth. Large trees and shrubs may die more slowly.

The best preventative is healthy soil with a balance of nutrients and soil biology. Controlling the alkalinity of your soil can also help. Solutions include adding sulfur and sometimes sodium to the soil at the rate of 4 to 8 ounces per square foot. Treat the soil with horticultural cornmeal at 10-20 lbs./1,000 sq. ft. Organic soil amendments have proven to provide significant control of the fungal disease.

Plant barriers can also help reduce the spread of the disease. This technique consists of planting resistant species around an obviously infected area. These barriers either exclude or limit the spread of the pathogen. When the disease occurs in an ornamental planting, replace diseased plants with resistant species.

One of the best things you can do to prevent the spread of the disease is to plant resistant varieties in your landscape. If you lose a plant to the disease make sure to replace it with a resistant variety.


Fire Blight
A bacterial disease of plants in the rose family in which blossoms, new shoots, twigs and limbs die back as though they have been burned. Leaves usually remain attached but often turn black or dark brown. Prune back into healthy tissue and disinfect pruning tools with a 3-5 percent solution of hydrogen peroxide. Spray plants at first sign of disease with Garrett Juice plus garlic and/or neem. Cons an 20 and agricultural streptomycin are also effective controls. Kocide 101 is a copper based fungicide often recommended, some consider this organic, we don’t. The best recommendation is to spray Garrett Juice plus garlic, treat the soil with horticultural cornmeal, apply the Sick Tree Treatment and reduce the nitrogen fertilizer. High-nitrogen, synthetic fertilizers are the primary cause of this disease.

[texasgal]

Hey Jimmylee,
How is your tree doing?
My Bradford Pear is showing similar symptoms except the leaves are falling off and the branches are dying. Mine is about 15 years old though. Have you tried any of the suggestions to relieve the symptoms and if so how are they working?