{"id":22184,"date":"2023-06-14T08:24:48","date_gmt":"2023-06-14T12:24:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/?p=22184"},"modified":"2023-06-14T08:26:26","modified_gmt":"2023-06-14T12:26:26","slug":"how-can-we-save-a-stewartia-tree-where-the-upper-half-is-dead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2023\/06\/14\/how-can-we-save-a-stewartia-tree-where-the-upper-half-is-dead\/","title":{"rendered":"How can we save a Stewartia tree where the upper half is dead?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Question:<\/h3>\n

We have a 12-foot tall Stewartia tree that has done well and flowered every year\u2026except for this year. The upper half is dead. How can we save it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Answer:<\/h3>\n
Lynne M. Holland, Horticulture and Social Media Professional<\/em><\/div>\n

Stewartia\u00a0<\/a>is an awesome tree\u00a0for year-round interest and a relatively recent addition to the Maine landscape.\u00a0 Technically\u00a0they are only hardy to Zone 5A but recent years have trended warmer in most areas.\u00a0 Unfortunately the midcoast\u00a0was severely affected by the midwinter cold snap and many plants were affected by bud dieback.\u00a0 You will know just how much when the tree blooms in July.<\/p>\n

Since the tree is only 12′ high you should be able to do the cutting back needed to reshape the tree and it will then continue to grow to its mature height of 20′\u00a0+ over the coming seasons. But don’t start cutting yet.<\/p>\n

Here is a link to a video on\u00a0pruning ornamental trees<\/a>, the hardest part is waiting until next winter (or at least November) to do this.\u00a0 I am sure that the tree looks dead at the top and part of it probably is, but take the time this season to see what happens to the tree before you start cutting it back. Cutting it at the top during the growing season will produce lush growth in clumps and tax the already stressed tree.\u00a0 \u00a0So please be patient.\u00a0 As the season progresses tie yarn or ribbon to the branches that are dead so you will know where to cut when the plant goes dormant.\u00a0 If half the tree has died, then prioritize your cuts as you don’t want to take more than 25-30% of the tree at\u00a0one time, so you might have to hard prune again in the next season.<\/p>\n

This summer, really baby the tree-make sure it gets steady moisture (1-2″ of water for the entire width of the dripline).\u00a0 Consider doing some\u00a0fertilizing<\/a>\u00a0of the tree but be prudent.\u00a0\u00a0This is NOT a case where a “little is good so a lot must be better”\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>In this case, for your tree nothing, is better than too much when it comes to fertilizer.\u00a0 If you have other questions, my contact info is below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: We have a 12-foot tall Stewartia tree that has done well and flowered every year\u2026except for this year. The upper half is dead. How can we save it? Answer: Lynne M. Holland, Horticulture and Social Media Professional Stewartia\u00a0is an awesome tree\u00a0for year-round interest and a relatively recent addition to the Maine landscape.\u00a0 Technically\u00a0they are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[199],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22184","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ask"],"yoast_head":"\nHow can we save a Stewartia tree where the upper half is dead? - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard - University of Maine Cooperative Extension<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/gardening\/2023\/06\/14\/how-can-we-save-a-stewartia-tree-where-the-upper-half-is-dead\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How can we save a Stewartia tree where the upper half is dead? - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard - University of Maine Cooperative Extension\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Question: We have a 12-foot tall Stewartia tree that has done well and flowered every year\u2026except for this year. 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