Arizona ash tree after 2021 freeze - Ask Extension
I live in Austin. I have a huge, mature (probably >40yrs) Arizona ash that has seemed quite healthy and looks good for the 20 years I have “owned...
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Arizona ash tree after 2021 freeze #740095
Asked March 21, 2021, 8:26 PM EDT
I live in Austin. I have a huge, mature (probably >40yrs) Arizona ash that has seemed quite healthy and looks good for the 20 years I have “owned” it. It typically buds in February and so had already budded when 2021 freeze hit. Now a month later the buds are still intact, not shedding then quickly followed by leaves as usual. Is there a chance the cycle was just interrupted and will occur later? If so, about how much delay? Thank you so much.
Travis CountyTexas
Expert Response
Hi Shirley,
Arizona Ash is cold hardy to 10 degrees F., and since your tree is a mature tree, it should have survived the extreme freeze. Dropping it leaves as a result of a severe freeze is quite normal.
Trees that bud out early, like your Arizona Ash, which are then hit with a very hard freeze, can suffer badly as the new buds and leaves will have been killed. As a result it may take a very long time for the tree to recover. You may have to wait until next year before the tree fully recovers. However, applying a dose of slow release fertilizer and mulching the tree may help its recovery. Try to be patient and just keep watching for any signs of new growth. Of course remove any limbs or branches that are black, snap easily and are clearly dead.
Thanks for recent advice on my ash tree (per below). I have since followed your advice. Other than barren branches, tree seems ok and is sprouting a lot of new growth mostly on main trunk with some new growth on a few forked branches. Should I leave that new growth alone or remove it?
From your description, it sounds like your tree is growing watersprouts. We have seen this quite a bit this year as the result of the stress trees have taken from the February big freeze. It's best to remove these, since they will sap energy and nutrients from the main tree.
I have left the prior email string intact in case it helps…
In past communication, you advised me to wait/be patient, fertilize and remove water sprouts from my very large, mature Arizona Ash after the buds froze in Feb 2021 during snowpocalypse. As of today, the tree still has not budded in top canopy but continues to grow healthy looking and quite a lot of waterspouts going up the main trunk and into primary branches.
I have been advised by a trusted local garden center to consult with an arborist and that tree may still be salvageable with some canopy removal.
I plan to do that but just wanted to check one last time if there is any other or different advice you offer.
Thank you very much, I have greatly appreciated your help to save my tree!!
If it helps, I am attaching a picture I took today.
