March 13, 2019
Most trees have green leaves. Even though Florida doesn’t experience beautiful fall season with foliage like New England, trees still go through cycles. Leaves bud, grow, and die. Leaves can turn different colors before they fall off a tree. It’s normal for a tree’s leaves to change color and fall off, if new leaves come back.
Now, what does it mean if your tree (or trees) leaves look burnt or burned? Burned leaves are much different than leaves that have turned brown.
A tree with burned-looking leaves likely has leaf scorch. Leaf scorch is a non-infectious condition due to the environment. It isn’t caused by a fungus, virus, or bacteria. Instead, leaf scorch is caused by high temperatures (common in Florida), dry winds, and low-soil moisture can lead to leaf scorch. Lack of nutrients, such as iron and manganese, can make a tree have leaf scorch, as well.
The sun and the high temperatures can burn the leaves. The leaves are dehydrated and start to shrivel if experiencing leaf scorch. If a lot of water evaporates from the leaves, the tree is not able to give enough water for the loss of the water, so the leaf tissue begins to die.
Young trees, trees under stress, and trees with diseases are more likely to develop leaf scorch. Although any tree can get tree scorch, certain trees are more susceptible including oak, birch, Norway maple, Japanese maple, sugar maple, ash, beech, horse chestnut, white pine, viburnum, flowering dogwood, rhododendron, linden, and alpine currant.
You can first spot leaf scorch between leaf veins, along leaf margins, and on the tips of leaves. The leaf will usually turn brown without any yellowing prior. If the leaf scorch is extreme, the leaves will curl. You will find scorched leaves more commonly on a side of a tree exposed to more wind and sun. Leaf scorch may not be the same across the entire tree.
If you see leaf scorch, it could mean a few different things. The tree may need to be moved – it may be receiving too much sunlight or exposure to win. Other leaf scorch causes could include exposure to prolonged hot temperatures, high winds, little rainfall, damaged roots, soil compaction, poor drainage, nutrient-deficient soil. Some diseases and insect infestations can cause things to happen to the tree that could lead to leaf scorch, but they do not cause leaf scorch.
If you have a healthy tree that develops leaf scorch, your tree can likely survive. If there is little rainfall and high temperatures, you need to need to water the tree deeply every 10 to 14 days. You can hold moisture in the soil by mulching around the trees. Keep up with tree trimming throughout the year so the tree isn’t focused on nurturing dead or damaged or unnecessary branches. Fertilizing your tree and testing the soil can also help keep leaf scorch at bay throughout the year.
A certified tree specialist/arborist can come and evaluate your tree to determine what is causing the leaf scorch and if it can be saved.
Your leaf-scorched tree likely needs professional help – you don’t want to hurt the tree more.
If you’re noticing burned leaves on your tree (or trees), you’ll want to call a tree professional to evaluate your tree(s) as soon as possible. Leaf scorch is a sign your tree is in distress – the earlier you address the problem, the more likely your tree can be saved.
Certified arborists know how to properly treat leaf scorch and will let you know if the tree needs to be removed.
Our team at Bushor’s Tree Surgeons will find out what is causing the leaf scorch and fix the problem, whether the tree needs to be transplanted or needs more nutrients in the soil.
At Bushor’s Tree Surgeons, we know and love trees, and we do what we can to bring your tree back to life. We’ve been in the tree business for more than 50 years, and we know how to keep trees strong and healthy all year long.
Our four certified arborists ensure the highest quality of tree care in Jacksonville. If your tree has leaf scorch or seems to be in distress, we will come up with a plan to treat the tree or remove it.
If you need help with any tree on your property, Bushor’s Tree Surgeons are at your service. We are a tree service company based in Jacksonville, Florida, and service customers in Ponte Vedra Beach and St. Augustine, Florida. We offer tree trimming, tree removal, stump removal, diagnosis of conditions, and tree disease treatment. Call us at (904) 789-8884 or click our Jacksonville Tree Service contact page to learn more and to set up an appointment with one of our certified arborists.
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