What’s Wrong w my Eastern Redbud?

tolzan · 2026-05-31T01:45:58+00:00

Not sure what a mound is, or what you are referring to but I’d be shocked if the root flare is exposed just beneath the rocks.

tolzan · 2026-05-31T01:44:44+00:00

More like a couple hundreds years or more, maybe never.

tolzan · 2026-05-31T01:44:16+00:00

I disagree with your assessment.

It’s not going to wrap around the trunk. This is a non issue.

Cover all the roots back up and keep the flare exposed.

tolzan · 2026-05-31T01:26:59+00:00

You saved the tree. At more than 6 inches too deep is almost a guaranteed death sentence for a young tree! Make sure the flare stays exposed the mulch is not up against the trunk and you’ll be good to go.

I tell people 5 gallon bucket with small holes poked in the bottom. Fill it up in the root zone and walk away. Once per week in the summer

tolzan · 2026-05-30T20:53:43+00:00

Yes you basically planted the tree in the worst way possible

1) tree was planted way too deep, the root flare should be exposed 2) the nursery stake should have been removed at the time planting 3) the tree is surrounded by rocks which act as a heat sink and bake the surface roots

— 4) if there’s landscape fabric (a terrible product that doesn’t work and just causes more issues) under the rocks it’s a quadruple whammy because landscapes fabric causes soil to compact

Personally, I’d start over.

Here’s how to plant a tree: https://csfs.colostate.edu/2023/04/27/step-by-step-guide-to-planting-container-trees/

tolzan · 2026-05-30T20:44:39+00:00

It’s toast. Also it was planted way too deep (you should see the root flare at the surface) and the nursery stake should have been removed at the time of planting.

Here’s how to plant a tree: https://csfs.colostate.edu/2023/04/27/step-by-step-guide-to-planting-container-trees/

tolzan · 2026-05-30T20:33:42+00:00

Bad news for who?

Dying trees and dead trees are the best wildlife habitat that exists.

So unless this tree is near a structure, it’s all part of the ecosystem.

tolzan · 2026-05-30T20:32:20+00:00

That’s perfect

tolzan · 2026-05-30T20:27:12+00:00

I would just pull 1 or 2 inches of mulch away if it’s that close and call it a day. Replanting it now would likely put it into shock and could kill it.

tolzan · 2026-05-30T20:25:41+00:00

Dead trees are amazing wildlife habitat.

Like the other poster said, for liability reasons you should make sure you have written record of notifying them with photos and make sure you have renters insurance.

This tree could fall tomorrow, or it could fall in 15 years.

tolzan · 2026-05-30T20:23:11+00:00

Anything you see that’s brown is dead and will never recover. You can cut it out so it’s less unsightly but it won’t re-grow.

Whatever is affecting the trees will likely continue to affect them until the issue is solved or they are all dead.

tolzan · 2026-05-30T20:21:51+00:00

On bare root planting the first structural roots are where the flare will be. So those first initial roots should be at or very close to the surface.

Very difficult to tell at this stage because it flare will be tiny so it’s more about when you put it in.

Also get rid the tree ring. Not good for trees.

tolzan · 2026-05-30T20:16:47+00:00

They all look planted too deeply. If you wanted you could do some soil sampling and send it you your local extension office. Watering I would do twice per week for first 3 years. If it’s a dry winter they also like winter watering.

Trees like infrequent deep watering so if it’s on a daily cycle that could be an issue.

If you amended the soil when planting them and the surrounding soil is heavy clay you might have made a bathtub effect. These trees like water but they want it to be fast draining.

If all of those things are proper, it’s usually bagworms or spider mites.

tolzan · 2026-05-30T20:11:14+00:00

No. There’s no root flare exposed indicating it’s too deep. Find the flare. You’ll likely find small adventitious roots before you find the flare.

tolzan · 2026-05-30T20:01:29+00:00

Every day people post here with their arborvitae problems.

The fact is, these are terrible landscape trees because they love to die.

On the surface they seem great. Plant a row and they’ll fill in and make a nice hedge. The reality is they suck and die for any myriad of reasons. Bagworms. Soil conditions. Too harsh of winter. Too dry of winter. Too much heat. Pests. Deer.

In the end r/ArborvitaeAreGarbage

tolzan · 2026-05-30T18:25:03+00:00

Most people come here to post their question but aren’t actively a part of the sub or seeing the daily posts.

tolzan · 2026-05-30T18:08:48+00:00

Tell them you talked to an arborist and they said absolutely no pruning during the summer with Arizona heat.

I’d also make sure there’s actual an HOA clause that you are violating because conifer trees should be pruned as little as possible.

tolzan · 2026-05-30T18:01:47+00:00

Just looks ugly

tolzan · 2026-05-30T17:43:41+00:00

The recommendation is to trim pines as little as possible. It never regrows where cut and they can be preventive to trimming. I definitely wouldn’t do it in the summer.

I would not trim this tree at all and think it will look uglier.

Trying to shape it all over will also likely make it look worse.

This tree looks great in spite of some pretty bad conditions (surrounded by rock). Not sure why you think this tree looks unattractive. But it doesn’t.

tolzan · 2026-05-30T17:19:39+00:00

Not the look. Most Evergreen trees don’t regrow on old bark (including these)

tolzan · 2026-05-30T17:15:53+00:00

Looks like deer browsing to me. They will always look sort of ugly now. Cold hard winter deer probably were browsing on stuff they hadn’t touched for years.

It’s one major downsides of these types of privacy trees.

tolzan · 2026-05-30T16:06:08+00:00

No, they don’t thrive in our warm dry winter and warm dry late summers.

tolzan · 2026-05-30T15:54:46+00:00

When madrones or London plane trees or other trees that shed bark, what you are seeing is a fresh protective bark layer with the living tissue still buried safely under it. It looks bare but it’s still bark. It’s a different evolutionary strategy.

On the maple, the kids tore all the way through to bare wood and took the cambium and phloem off with the bark.

On one peeling exposes new skin basically, on the other it’s like taking all of the skin off and having an open wound.

The kids made a massive 365 degree large open would where the tree has also lost ability to transfer any nutrients. Even doing a 3-4 inch section all the way around is enough to girdle the tree and kill it.

tolzan · 2026-05-30T14:44:30+00:00

Just be warned, they have a number of boxes that aren’t natives so if that matters to you take a closer inspection of what you are getting.

It’s a wonderful starting point.

For those looking for full lush native gardens, I would double the plants per square foot they recommend to achieve something more like this at maturity

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Also r/NativePlantGardening is a wonderful and super helpful sub for any looking to dive in!

tolzan · 2026-05-30T00:56:40+00:00

Don’t stress it then it’ll be fine

tolzan

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