Questions?
E-Mail
Forestry Division
If
possible, take a couple of digital photos of your tree or shrub
and include them with your questions. One photo should be a close
up of the problem area. The second photo should be of the entire
tree if possible.
Allergies
and Trees
In the spring, most
trees flower and produce pollen. Trees that produce colorful,
scented flowers are usually pollinated by insects or birds and
less by wind. Trees that do not produce colorful,
scented flowers are primarily pollinated by wind. Some wind pollinated
trees have the female fruit/seed structure and the male pollen
structures on the same tree. Other wind pollinated trees may have
a female tree that only produces a fruit/seed and a separate male
tree that only produces the male structure bearing pollen. Tree
pollen can be around in Cheyenne as early as late February through
early summer.
People can be allergic
to any type of pollen. The most common pollen that causes allergies
is the wind-borne pollen from trees, weeds, and grasses. Additional
information on pollen and allergies: Additional
Info.
Visit a lake in a conifer
(e.g. pine, spruce, fir, juniper) forest in late May to early
June and you will see a yellow "ring" around the lake
shore or a yellowish film on the surface of the water near the
shore. This yellow ring and film is pollen from the conifer trees.
During the last month of spring, you can also see a yellow dust
cloud of pollen around the conifer trees during a wind gust.
Maple
Trees "Bleeding" Sap
In late winter and early spring, as sunlight increases and days
become warmer, with the nights still below freezing, the sap in
maple trees begins to move. In late winter and early spring, maple
syrup producers tap sugar maples to collect the sap to boil down
to make maple syrup. All maple trees have a sugary sap flow. The
Norway, silver, Amur, and boxelder maples in Cheyenne also have
a high sap flow this time of year. If the tree has been recently
pruned, or there is squirrel damage on the limbs or trunk, or
the bark has been injured in any way, sap flow will be present
on the outside of the tree. The outside "bleeding" itself
is unsightly and may attract insects, but it does not harm the
tree. It is best to prune maples in the summer when they are in
full leaf to avoid the bleeding of sap.
 
Sap "Bleeding" on the outside
of boxelder maple trees.
Note the fly in the bottom photo feeding on the sugary sap.
Brown Needles
and Foliage on Evergreen (Conifers)
If you have browning or dead foliage on your juniper, spruce,
or pine it could be drought damage. Evergreens need water year
round to maintain their leaves. Ample water in mid to late fall
is critical for evergreens to survive the winter. If the winter
is dry, watering during the winter is also needed. The large,
established evergreens can usually support themselves without
additional watering during the winter for normal precipitation
years. During years with below normal precipitation, additional
water should be provided to even the largest evergreens. Younger
and recently planted evergreens will need watering throughout
the year to maintain the leaves and reestablish a root system.
Often the north and/or west side of an evergreen may have brown
foliage while the rest of the tree or shrub is green. Direct sunlight
in winter can also dry out the south side of evergreens as well.
The common north and west winds in Cheyenne during the winter
months can quickly dry out the foliage. If the soil around the
shallow roots on the tree or shrub is frozen or dry, the plant
can't take in water to replace water lost to dry winds. Watering
Information: Click Here.
Frequently, brown foliage can also indicate salt damage or herbicide
damage on the tree or shrub. If salt is used on the sidewalk or
road to melt ice, the salt can get into the soil and kill nearby
roots. Herbicides used on lawns to control weeds can drift onto
trees and shrubs killing the foliage or sometimes the entire plant.
Herbicide residue can accumulate in the soil and affect the root
system. Use caution when applying ice melting products on sidewalks
or roads near trees. Eliminate or reduce the application of herbicides
near trees and shrubs.
Watch for new growth to emerge on evergreen limbs that currently
have brown foliage. If no new growth emerges this spring on the
brown foliage limbs, they should be pruned back to either the trunk
or back to living foliage. Apply an adequate amount of water to
the shrub or tree this year to help it regain its health. Applying
water to the point of saturating the soil for a long period of
time can kill roots as easy as not applying enough water.
A good thorough watering allowing at least one inch of water,
natural precipitation and/or tap water, to be applied around the
tree or shrub every 7 days should be enough water. Be sure to
water the tree or shrub at the drip line and beyond. Most of the
water absorbing roots are in the area around the drip line and
beyond. The drip line is the area on the ground directly below
the outer extent of the foliage. Trees and shrubs existing in
a grass lawn area will occasionally need additional water beyond
what the lawn receives. A watering regime for a tree or shrub
is infrequently for a long duration. A watering regime for
a lawn is frequently for a short duration.
Occasionally, diseases and insect problems can be associated
with limbs containing dead or dying foliage, but trees and shrubs
with insect and disease problems, were usually under some environmental
stress prior to the disease or insect problem.
p
Plan Now for Spring Tree Plantings
Planting trees in Cheyenne should start with planning
during the winter months by drawing a landscape to scale of your
lot. Then plan what to buy and where you will place the tree(s)
in the landscape. It is important to find out the mature size
of the plants you purchase and place them accordingly so they
do not outgrow the spaces that are provided for them or do not
become overcrowded. Locate underground utilities are by calling
One Call of Wyoming at 1-800-849-2476. The location
of underground utilities is required by law prior to digging,
and the service is free. Look above the planting site to make
sure a large tree is not placed under electrical wires. Trees
planted close to buildings, driveways, sidewalks or curbs will
cause future buckling problems as the roots grow in diameter.
Check with the city forestry division for any ordinances that
may apply to your landscape such as corner property traffic visibility
requirements.
Spring is usually the best time to plant your trees. Trees planted
at this time can take advantage of the spring rains, establish new
roots, and store enough nutrients to better survive the winter months.
Well established "container
grown" or " balled and burlap" trees enable planting time to be extended
later into the growing season.
When purchasing a tree make sure the main "leader" is not broken and that your
tree only has one leader. (Fruit trees like apple or plum will have more than
one leader so it is easier to harvest the fruit and the branch structure can
support the weight of the fruit.) Check the trunk so the bark is intact and
is not damaged. Container grown trees should have an extensive root system
in which the soil adheres to the roots. Balled and burlap (B&B) trees also
should have a solid root ball that is not broken or loose. Never carry these
trees by the trunk, which will loosen the root ball and break roots.
After purchasing your trees protect them from direct sunlight and
wind. Plant them as soon as possible. Bare root trees can be soaked
overnight and stored out of direct sunlight . The trees should be
planted at the same depth that they grew at the nursery. Look for
a soil stain on the trunk of bare root trees which will indicate
the depth the tree was planted at the nursery. The top of the root
ball on a B&B tree should indicate the depth it was previously
planted. The width of the planting hole should be a minimum of 3 x the diameter
of the root ball.
Bare Root Trees: Cut and remove broken roots before planting.
Hold the tree in place at the proper height and sift dirt into
the hole. Do not use large clods or chunks of sod to fill the
hole. Build up a rim of soil around the hole to form a basin (soil
ring) for future watering. Water trees thoroughly, about an inch
of water per week, depending on the rainfall.
Container Trees: Dig the planting hole much wider but no deeper
than the container. Carefully remove the container so the soil
and the roots come out together. Sometimes it helps to cut the
container up the side which allows the root ball to slide out
easier. If the roots at the base of the plant have started circling
straighten them out or cut them cleanly off before planting. Proceed
to plant as described above under bare root trees.
Balled and Burlap Trees: Once the tree is at the site, remove
the lower 1/3 of the wire basket and burlap with bolt or wire
cutters and a sharp knife, if the soil ball is firm, before placing
the tree into the planting hole. Carefully lower the tree into
the hole with the aid of hay hooks secured under the remaining
top wires to lift the tree into the hole. (Remember you purchased
a B&B tree and you want the roots and soil to stay in contact,
so try not to drop or break the soil ball.) The tree may also
be rolled carefully into the hole, taking care not to drop the
tree. Once the tree is in the hole it should be straightened.
Place and pack soil around the base to help stabilize the tree
and to keep the root ball together. Remove the remaining wire
basket, any twine and as much of the burlap that you can without
disturbing the root ball. The tree should not be planted any deeper
than the root flair. Proceed to plant the tree as described above
under the bare root section.
Once planted and the soil rings have been made, add about 2-3 inches of mulch
inside the soil ring to aid in keeping the soil cool, conserve water, reduce
grass competition and to keep trimmers and lawn mowers away from the trunk.
Stake the tree only if the tree is in a windy area, if the root ball fell apart
when planting, or if it is a dense evergreen . Two stakes driven into the ground
on the outside of the soil ring should be sufficient. Use one to two inch cloth
straps with grommets in each end to go around the trunk of the tree. Run wire
from the grommets in the straps to the stakes and tie. The wire should be loose
to allow the tree to gently move in the wind. Remove the stakes the following
year.
After the initial watering whenever the ground becomes dry in
the top two inches soak the area under the tree crown thoroughly.
Apply at least 10 gallons of water in the area under the tree
crown for every one inch of tree trunk diameter. In sandier soils
and windy areas you will have to water more often. Avoid light,
frequent watering which will encourage only shallow roots to grow.
Normal lawn watering usually does not provide adequate water to
newly planted trees.
After the tree is growing, you can keep it healthy by following these guidelines:
- Prevent
lawn mower and trimmer damage to the bark.
- Remove plastic nursery tree
ties and other string attached to branches or trunk.
- Never
use wire or rope for any reason, to tie around the trunk or
the branches of the tree.
- Avoid cultivation
around the base of the tree (e.g. planting flowers or bulbs).
- Avoid the
use of white decorative rock which can reflect too much sunlight
onto the trunk.
- If using
decorative rock around the base of the trunk keep it pulled
back yearly so it does not become imbedded into the tree as
the trunk grows in diameter. This applies to the larger size
river rock, boulders, and landscape fabric.
- Once planted,
do not change the grade level around your tree.
- Begin proper
pruning techniques approximately three years after the tree
has been pruned.
Homeowners Should Be Wise Consumers When
Hiring Tree and Lawn Care Companies.
Spring Snow Storms When Trees are Leafing Out
Heavy snow accumulations, while trees are in leaf, will break
off limbs that have decay, are weakly attached, or poorly formed.
When a limb is broken out of a tree, a jagged stub may remain
in the tree. It is usually best to prune this stub back to another
limb or the trunk. Damaged branches can be an easy entryway for
insects and diseases to attack the tree.
Gently shake or brush off snow accumulations on the branches of
smaller trees. Be careful not to damage the bark in the process.
Late Spring Frosts /
Freezes
Frost or freezing temperatures in late spring during or immediately
after leaves have emerged often kills the new leaves. Even though
the leaves have shriveled and turned black, the tree is most likely
NOT dead.
There are many dormant or latent buds all over the tree limbs
and trunk. If the leaves are damaged by a freeze, hailstorm, or
other event, a healthy tree will most likely push out a new set
of leaves from these dormant buds. At leaf-out in the spring,
a tree is at its lowest level of stored energy. Pushing out a
new set of leaves can diminish energy reserves to a critical level
in the tree. The tree is now in a weakened or stressed condition.
A stressed tree is more susceptible to insect and disease attack.
Watch for insect infestations on leaves or branches, or any branch
discoloration which may indicate the presence of a disease. Determine
the insect or disease problem and treat the tree accordingly.
A stressed tree is also more sensitive to weed killer applications
that may occur on the lawn area above the tree's root system. Eliminate
or reduce the application of weed killers to lawn areas above the
root system of the tree.
The second set of leaves a tree may produce in one season are
usually smaller and fewer in number. A tree can lose its leaves
due to heavy insect infestation, transplant shock, or drought,
to name a few problems. Leaves do not heal. Whatever happens to
a leaf early in the season will continue to show the damage until
leaf-drop in the Fall.
What qualities should I look
for in buying a tree?
When you buy high-quality trees, with proper planting and maintenance,
you will enjoy a healthy tree for years.
When you buy a low-quality tree, the tree will have problems that will cost
you time, money in maintenance, and years of frustration.
The tree should have an adequate root ball in proportion to the tree size.
Make sure the roots are not crushed or broken, black or dried up, and do not
have a circling growth pattern.
The trunk will be free of mechanical damage and unhealed wounds. Check for
improper pruning such as stubs being left on the tree. Also, excessive pruning
on the tree's branches indicates previous problems that you can inherit.
The branches should be well spaced and not broken. The main leader of the tree
should not be removed unless it is a fruit tree. (The main leader on fruit
trees are often removed to support the fruit's weight and to make it easier
to harvest the fruit). Make sure the branches are not weak from where multiple
stems squeeze together or squeeze against the trunk. The general appearance
should be clean, not a ragged appearance.
When should I prune
my shrubs?
Prune most shrubs after they bloom. Some exceptions are holly, roses, and blue
mist spirea. These shrubs bloom on current season's growth and should be pruned
in the spring.
Pruning shrubs every few years will help stimulate new growth and flowers.
Remove one-third of the oldest stems as close to the ground as possible the
first year. The following year remove another third, with the remaining third
the next year.
How often should
I water a newly planted tree?
Newly planted trees in Cheyenne will need supplemental water to
help the tree replace feeder roots that were loss during transplanting
and will initially require more water the first month. Other factors
to consider when determining the amount of water a tree needs are:
wind desiccation, temperature, and rainfall amount.
Slowly deep water to reach the feeder roots of your tree. These
roots are found in the top twelve inches of the soil. Newly planted
trees - apply ten gallons of water for every one-inch diameter
of tree trunk. A three-inch diameter tree will require 30 gallons
of water each week.
During the establishment period, roots are actively forming and
growing. After one or two months, the tree can be weaned to a
smaller amount of water, i.e. watering every week and then every
7 to 14 days depending on precipitation.
Proper weaning will encourage deeper root development and make
your tree more "drought tolerant".
Can I rototill
around the base of my tree?
Most trees do not have a tap root, but instead have
a spreading "pancake" root system. The majority of roots are within
12 inches of the soil surface. Therefore, if you cultivate within
the top 12 inches of the soil you can damage the tree's roots.
If you want to control weeds you can use a broad spectrum herbicide
like Roundup at the base of the tree. Avoid getting the herbicide
on the tree or on any root suckers at the base of the tree.
Cytospora
Canker
Cytospora canker is a fungus disease that affects many different
types of trees and can cause branches or the entire tree to die.
Species affected in Cheyenne include: aspen, cottonwood, poplar,
elm, willow, mountain ash, linden, honeylocust, ash, oak, apple,
stone fruits (e.g., cherry, plum, and peach), and spruce.
The fungus primarily damages trees that are in a stressed condition.
The canker causes a discoloration on the outer bark of limbs and
on trunks. The discoloration can be yellow, brown, red-brown,
on most deciduous trees, and gray or black on spruce. Occasionally
a liquid will ooze out of the canker area on aspen trees. Oozing
a tree resin or gum-like substance can occur on peach, plum and
cherry trees. The fruiting body of cytospora causes a pimpled
appearance on the outer tree bark within the canker area. Orange
threadlike tendrils can be seen on these pimpled spots.
The appearance of dead branches on spruce trees can be the first
sign of cytospora infection. Areas infected by the fungus appear
as a sunken area surrounded by swollen callus tissue forming a
gall-like structure. Resin will flow out of the canker sometimes
taking on a bluish-gray appearance.
The best control method is to keep the tree in a
healthy and vigorous condition and by avoiding tree species more
susceptible to cytospora canker. Other tree health factors
are proper planting of the tree, providing
the proper amount of water, correctly fertilizing as needed,
using proper and timely pruning techniques are critical. The second
best control method is to remove and destroy infected limbs or
in severe cases the entire tree. If possible, prune or remove
trees during the dormant season (while leaves are not on deciduous
trees), because the fungus is not actively spreading and it is
less likely to infect fresh pruning wounds on the tree. The disease
is spread to other limbs and trees during the growing season by
wind, precipitation, insects, birds, and possibly pruning tools.
The spores of the fungus can enter and develop easily in bark
wounds on the trees. The cutting edges of the tools used, chainsaws,
handsaws, loppers, or hand pruners should be sterilized before
and after each cut even during the dormant season. Use a chlorine
bleach and water mixture to sterilize the tools, a 1 part bleach
to 9 parts water ratio. Do not store infected limbs on site. As
long as the limb or trunk is green the fungus can live and continue
to develop in infected limbs that have been removed from the tree.
Destroy infected limbs immediately.
Note the discoloration
of the bark on the aspen trees below and the oozing, orange colored
liquid. These signs can be indicators of Cytospora canker.
Bacterial
Wetwood / Slime Flux
In Cheyenne this bacterial disease commonly affects
the wood in elms, cottonwoods, willows, and aspen. Although the
slime oozing out of the tree attracts many kinds of insects, the
insects are not attacking the tree. There are no cures for the
bacterial disease. Drought conditions cause the disease to be
more prevalent. The slime will kill cambium cells, the growth
cells between the bark and the tree, and hinder callus growth
around a pruning wound. The bacterial wetwood slime is toxic to
other vegetation including grass.
Click on this website to learn more: Colorado
State University Cooperative Extension
Bacterial wetwood or slime flux oozing out
of an old flush cut pruning wound on an American elm.
Photo: David Ohde
Same tree, same problem, lower on the trunk.
Notice the bare soil where the ooze has moved onto the soil.
Photo: David Ohde
Damaged
Bark on Tree Trunks
Sunscald
damage on southwest side of chokecherry tree
Photo:
Dave Waterhouse
Older chokecherry trees seem to be very susceptible to sunscald
damage. Chokecherries typically grow in a thicket with numerous
root suckers growing around the trunk bases, shading the trunks
of older stems. Growing as a single tree they seem to be less
able to withstand the direct heating of the trunk during the dormant
months of winter.
The winter sun is low in the southern
sky allowing intense heating on the south and southwest side of
trees. Living cells in the tree bark become less able to withstand
freezing nighttime winter temperatures after being heated during
the day. The cells freeze and burst causing living bark tissue
loss down to the wood in the tree. Many Canada red cherries and
other types of chokecherry exhibit the damaged bark on the southwest
side of the tree trunk in Cheyenne. The last five years of drought
conditions causes trees to be less able to withstand other environmental,
disease, and insect problems.
To protect tree trunks sensitive
to sunscald during the leafless months, shade the trunk in some
way on the south and southwest sides. Paper trunk wrap made for
this purpose provides some protection. Trees which grow in the
shade of other trees in a natural forest setting are shade tolerant.
Maple trees, which are shade tolerant, are very susceptible to
sunscald damage.
Caution dictates shading the trunks
of most young trees from October 31st to May 1st. (Aspen tree
trunks do not need to be shaded.) If a paper trunk wrap
is used, it must be removed each year during the growing season.
Do not fasten the paper wrap on a tree using anything that will
pierce or abrade the trunk.
Three Stories
of Tree Failure from Cut Roots and Improper Planting - In
words and pictures.
A Spruce Tree Succumbs
All roots were cut on the north side of this spruce
tree in the cemetery while digging a gravesite in December 2004.
The tree blew down during strong north winds April 13, 2005.
A
Cottonwood Succumbs
A pit was dug on the west side of this large cottonwood
tree sometime in the past. Soil was filled in and the hole was
forgotten -- until the tree blew over May 17, 2005. The white
arrow points to a wood decay fungus fruiting body also known as
a mushroom or a conk. The conk indicates wood decay occurring
below ground on the root system. Most of the large structure roots
were severed when the hole was dug in the past. Wood decay fungus
sets up shop on the damaged roots and begins decomposing the wood.
To have an entire tree fail from root damage is
uncommon. This was a big tree. The potential for significant damage
and injury was very high. The results in the failure of this tree
could have been worse.
Leaves were just starting to emerge. The tree was
less than six feet from the house. It slowly fell to the east,
as the trunk rested on the side of the house, while limbs punched
through the roof in several spots to further distribute the weight
of the tree on the house. If the winds would have occurred exactly
one week later while the tree had a full canopy of expanded leaves,
the results may have been much worse.
The moral of these two stories is:
DO NOT CUT TREE ROOTS. ESPECIALLY, LARGE
ROOTS NEAR THE TRUNK.
Spruce
Tree Succumbs March 17, 2004 - improperly planted 15 - years ago.
20 - year old spruce falls victim to high
winds.
See story below for the root of the problem
The spruce was planted about 15 years ago.
The wire basket was left on the root ball and the orange twine
was left in place around the tree. Part of the wire basket is
visible in the photo above, in the center, just below the twine.
Many
nursery trees commonly known as balled and burlapped (B&B),
are sold to the consumer with soil around a part of the root system.
The soil is held in place with burlap, a wire basket, and twine.
If the burlap, wire, and twine are not removed from the soil ball,
they will interfere with proper root development sometime in the
future. The "sometime in the future" could be a couple
of years to 40 years. During that time the tree grows and the
roots develop. When roots encounter a hard object they will have
their growth diverted or they will begin to grow around the object.
When roots encounter the plastic type twine, which takes hundreds
if not thousands of years to break down, or they encounter the
thick wire of the basket, the roots will begin to grow around
them. Sometimes roots or a tree or shrub trunk can successfully
grow around the twine or wire. The plant area where the wire or
twine is located is frequently a weak area and a source of decay.
Sometimes the root or trunk can't grow around the twine or wire
and will instead be girdled or choked resulting in a halt of the
water or food flow which ends in the death of the plant.
Here is the
dilemma. The best possible future growth of the roots is to remove
all burlap, wire, and twine from around the root ball. The best
initial survival of the tree or shrub is not to allow the soil
to fall away from the roots, which is held in place by the burlap,
wire, and twine. To achieve the goal of not letting the soil fall
away from the roots and to remove everything that holds the soil
with the roots is to gently (as gently as 200 to 500 pounds of
soil and tree can be moved) place the root ball in the planting
hole and put some soil around the base of the root ball to stabilize
the tree. Then remove all wire, twine and burlap from around
the top two thirds of the root ball. Put the remaining
soil around the root ball settling it with water. Do not tamp
the soil around the root ball. The goal here is to get the roots
growing out of the root ball as fast a possible. A
sketch of a good planting method.
The spruce pictured above probably cost $150 to purchase
and plant. If it had a good root system it would have been worth
nearly $2500 today. Now it is worth two winter days of firewood.
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