Hi, I have a purple leaf plum tree I planted around April (I live in Dallas,Tx) and now it is not doing well. The bark seems to be cracking and the leaves have spots and are discoloring- turning transparent/greenish. The leaves are also dropping off. Is it dying or is it treatable? What should I do for it? Any help much appreciated.
thanks,
troubled in Texas

Reply to post by kelly alvey, on August 08, 2002 at 11:42:45:

My first reaction is that it sounds like you may be over-watering, which is the reason I included the link to a site about managing garden water.

That said, it is hard, if not impossible to diagnose a plant condition from afar. Your best bet is to re-think your cultural practices, including irrigation, and look for local help from an expert who will look at your tree in situ.

"Cracking bark" may or not be normal. If it is from the expansion of stem girth due to growth, then it is normal for many trees will develop small fissures in the outer bark. But if the bark is cracked deeply into wood, especially if there is leakage outward, then the tree has a problem. Also, stripping of all small branches that would have shaded the lower trunk can lead to bark tissue death from excessive heat, especially in thin-barked trees, and especially when they are near areas of reflected heat such as pavement. That will lead to bark cracking on the side affected. A non-toxic water-based white paint may protect exposed bark from this kind of damage, depending upon the situation.