Horse Chestnut problem

Hello All,
Can anyone please identify a problem I have with one of my young Horse Chestnut trees? I planted three trees about 4 years ago and they have grown well - this year though one of them, which is significantly smaller than the other two, has developed brown spots on the leaves and has given the impression of autumn in July/August! Some of the leaves have shrivelled up completely. I don't think it is the dreaded moth as there are no tunnels in the leaf, is it a fungus or over/under watering? Photos attached.
Any help or opinions would be most grateful.
Chas.

 

Hi Chas,

It looks like leaf scorch is affe3cting your horse chestnut, but it's hard to provide 100% diagnosis without being there on site. Leaf scorch is brought about by varying environmental factors associated with water vapour loss; such as high winds, low rainfall, root compaction or trees being planted in less than favourable conditions. Leaf scorch is not injurous or fatal to the tree and can be remedied by giving the tree a good watering to replace lost fluid.

 

Hi Chas
The recent rain will provide all the water the tree needs,
the leaves will drop as usual in the autumn and the tree
will make a full recovery in the spring.

Pete

 

Watch out for this, too. A lot of the trees near us have it.

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/fr/INFD-68JJRC

Here's an interesting link.

http://www.ourweboflife.org.uk/

Liz

 

I don't think it's leaf miner, Liz W, as there are no visible mines on the leaf photos, and leaf miner doesn't cause leaf curl or necrosis except in extreme circumstances.

 

Yes, realised that as we have lots of damage locally but just thought it was worth a point out as I've only recently, very suddenly, become aware of it. I don't understand why I hadn't noticed, but now someone has informed me of it, I realise it is everywhere. Please excuse my ramblings... :D

 

Many thanks for your replies - much appreciated - I have watered it well all season but it has always been the 'runt' of the litter! It also suffers from 'dry' buds in the winter - the other two have normal sticky buds - as you say Harmony Arb, it may well be the siting and soil conditions in this case - I'll keep watering anyway, I'd hate to lose it!
Chas.