Asked April 21, 2024, 9:16 PM EDT
Attached are photos of a 30 year old sweetgum tree that grew on its own in our yard before we realized what it was and the nuisance the gum balls are that drop every fall/winter. Nevertheless, it is a nicely shaped tree and provides summer shade. Last year we noticed some branches high on the crown were de-leafed. We attributed it to leaf-eating caterpillars. This year, as the tree leafs-out, we are noticing several branches near the top appear dead. Can you tell if the tree is dying, experiencing stress from climate change or is this a natural occurrence for this type of tree? It gets plenty of water and sunlight.
Howard County Maryland