Is my tree dead?

Since last year, about the same time we had some strong winds and cold weather, the impact of this weather caused the trees top leafs to fall off and it seems the tree just went dead. Ive noticed the same trees in different places which have had the same impact one of them was a few doors down from my house. I personally loved this tree as it had sort of a palm tree look (sorry i dont know the name of the tree). There is something growing from the bottem part of the tree but i dont know what it is, i have attached a pic which ive just taken to give the experts on here a better idea.



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Hi Harry from your picture and your description of it being palm like I think we can safely assume it was a Cabbage Palm? (Cordyline australis)

cordyline australis - Google Search

now the most likely cause of it's death was probably the cold although there appears to be some damage to the bottom of the trunk in your photo? but if that was the cause then I see no reason why it didn't just re sprout from the bottom

the good news is that they are relatively fast growing and cheap so you could probably replace it with a small 3ltr pot one and in about 10yrs you'd have a smallish size tree again:WINK1:

 

It could be that your Cordyline? has succumbed to root rot, the same thing happened to an Acer - with a similar patch near the trunk. It usually happens because the ground water is high, and the tree has its roots sitting in water almost permanently.

That said cold had knocked a fair few Cordylines down this winter, but most usually just re-shoot from the trunk or the base

 

Every Cordyline in our neighbourhood looks like yours after the last 2 winters; after 12 months the bark has started to flake from the dead trunks/stems and in some cases I have seen bracket fungi on some.

That said most of what I have seen have re-grown several 'new' plants from the roots, these in some cases managed to get to around 3ft by the end of the summer.

Is it possible that you have cut off any newly emerging growth mistaking it for grass or weeds as I notice your grass is right up to the base of the 2 trees???

 

thanks for the reply guys, ive noticed theres something growing next to the tree like 2 new ones. is this normal? im guessing its re growing. SO what happens to teh actuall tree to get it terminated or just leave it. I have attached 2 pictures to give u a better view..



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Hi Harry , by the picture i can say that the tree is actually in the wrong place , usual cordyline need a dry spot of the garden , but the moss around tells me that it`s actually in a dump spot , that`s explain way took so long to reshoot . About the actual tree , u can cut the trunk to the base , leave it or make a bird bath ...the new shoots will grow back faster to a decent size in 10 years ......actually seen other trees regrowing new shoots at the top as well at the base.

 

The tree was actually there when we bought the house, 10 years is a long time I actually liked this tree:( when u say moss do u mean that lighter green stuff?

 

Harry you are not alone actually 80% of cordyline in UK look like yours after last winter.
you can actually buy a 2 feet one at homebase for £15 or you can spend aroun £400 and buy one even bigger then your one .
Cordyline - Cordyline Australis and More Cordyline
Yes the green stuff is moss and that only grow in dump place , so in case you are replanting another try to change the soil.

 

Thanks sal.. If I buy the 2 feet one can I plant it outside stright away? That green stuff I actually have all over my garden, should I be worried? I will take another pic of my garden and upload,to see if we are talking about the same thing..

 

Hi Harry , I rekon your plant have strugled more then other because of the dump soil , many other cordyline I`ve seen have already 1/2 feet tall side shoot.
If you really like this plant , give a well drained soil .
in case you buy a new plant , don`t get tempted buy some new variety like the red star or the pink one , they are not as hardy as the Cordyline A. ....then check the soil in the pot and try to recreate the soil mix and finally ......IF the plant is outdoor I would say yes plant in straigh away , if as been keept indoor the wait , otherwise will get a shock or a frost will kill it again.......they are very easy to grow .
Btw just cut the trunk of the one you got and keep it , the shoot will grow really fast and you will end up with a even better looking plant.

 

I'd pull it out and replace it with something else ....

if you want something like a palm, look at a Trachycarpus fortunei, but you would need to prepare the planting hole with lots of free draining perlite etc (lots of info on google)

they are not cheap though for larger plants and grow slow (12 inches a year)



looks like a cat used the trunk as a scratch post?

 

I`ve actually just both 3 , they where on offer at £9.99 each and they way more hardy then cordyline......btw DIM did you ever usued cat litter in stead of perlite for outdoor? I know it sound silly but a bag of chip cat litter is £2.99 against £9.99 of the perlite

 

have never tried cat litter, but have heard of other people using it as a drainage medium when planting ....

is there not some type of white powder that coats the cat litter?

 

Not on the cheap one....I`ve used before to germinate plants , but never used outdoor , as i actually need to plant my 3 palmas soon and try to save money on perlite.....it would actually cost me more then the actual plants. In past I`ve tryed a base of gravel and then a mix of send , gravel , fishbone and compost ....but the sand dasn`t seam to work , dasn`t dry fast enough.....

 

suppose it could work .... wash the cat litter first (place in a bucket and use a hose to flush it (the same as what is done with fishtank gravel before using it)

for your 3 palms .... one large bag of compost, and one bag of well rotted manure will cost you approx £10 for both (£5 each), and you should be able to plant all 3 palms with that

just dig the planting holes as deep as you can, and in the mixture, include some of the topsoil that you remove when digging

don't add too much bonemeal (one handfull will be enough)