7 Common Ruby Falls Redbud Problems – Causes and Solutions
If you notice ruby falls redbud and ruby falls redbud weeping plants around you, you will commonly find some problems like leaf problems, stunted growth, root damage, drought injury, adaptation problem, insects, and disease attacks.
These problems occur due to several reasons like over-fertilization, temperature fluctuation, overwatering, underwatering, humidity problems, sunlight issues, soil problems, and seed factors. I also noticed that ruby falls redbud problems and ruby falls weeping redbud problems from a close view and tried some solutions which may also help you.
Hence, I want to note down those problems and relatable solutions in this article. You may also check those shortly from the below table.
| Problems | Causes | Solutions |
Leaf problems
|
|
|
| Stunted growth | Nutrient deficiency | Use bone meal, fish meal, and other fertilizers. |
| Root damage | Overwatering |
|
| Drought injury | Underwatering | Water your plant properly |
| Adaptation problem | Absence of germinating from seeds | Grow plants from seeds |
| Insects In old plants,
Leaf-eating insects,
| Attractive foliage and flower | Use light trap, pheromone trap, malaise trap, and sweeping net |
Diseases
|
|
|
What's On the Page
7 Common Ruby Falls Redbud Problems With Solutions
1. Leaf Problems
At the initiating point, I would like to describe the leaf problems. The leaf problems are seen at the very beginning when your plant is under stress. Some common leaf problems are-
- Black spot on leaves
- Leaf drooping
- Brown leaves
- Scorched leaves
- Leaf discoloration
Causes
Let’s know about the causes of these problems-
- Over-fertilization is the main cause of black spots on the leaves
- When the temperature is excessive, leaves may start drooping.
- Overwatering leads the brown leaves
- Scorched leaves are found due to low humidity
- Too much sunlight is the reason behind leaf discoloration.
Control Measure
To maintain the beautiful foliage of redbud, you have to make all the elements perfectly available. Firstly, you should be careful about fertilization. As it is a hardy plant, it doesn’t require many fertilizers. So apply fertilizers to this plant only once a year in the spring at a limited rate.
The temperature should be around 80.6°F. It is the most favorable temperature for redbud trees which is called the optimum temperature. If the temperature gets too high, water your plant enough.
After that, I will provide you with the solutions needed for over-watering. Redbud trees love moisture but too much water hampers their root system. Hence, water the plant as it needs. Along with that, maintain the drainage system perfectly so that excess water can be drained easily.
Next, to remove the scorched leaves keep the humidity level around 70% in the plant. If the environment moisture gets lower than that, water your plant and sprinkle it to keep the humidity level balanced. You can also use a humidifier to increase the moisture percentage.
Sunlight is also an important issue for the plant. They love to grow in full sun. But excessive sunlight can make the leaf burnt. In this case, you may use a polythene sheet to cover it or use any shading system to provide partial shade for the plant.
2. Stunted Growth
A ruby falls redbud or ruby falls weeping redbud may grow up to 10-20 feet. But sometimes due to stress, this proper height is not achieved and remains dwarf.
Causes
Redbud plant growth can be stunted due to nutrient deficiency. When micro and macro nutrients especially nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus percentage go below the optimum range, then the growth rate is seized.
Control Measure
Apply bone meal, mustard oil cake, cow dung, and fish meal to the plant twice a year. Apart from these, you can also use chemical or synthesized fertilizers. once a year for better growth. Dilute fertilizers are more helpful for plant growth than others.
3. Root Damage
Redbud trees have the main root system with additional fibrous roots. They take food from both of these roots. But, sometimes if the plant is not in good condition, the roots cannot grow and become injured having a bad odor.
Causes
The cause of root damage is an overwatering problem. In case of too much water, roots get susceptible to different pathogens and diseases. As a result, the root rot problem starts.
Control Measures
Don’t overwater your plant and try to follow the steps that I mentioned in the leaf section to overcome the over-watering problem.
4. Drought Injury
Drought injury is expressed by several symptoms like crispy leaves, narrow stems, and pale color of the leaves. Sometimes the plant becomes wilted and cannot grow properly.
Causes
Underwatering is the main cause of drought injury. Especially, during summer days, the plant transpires more water than in the wintertime. If it doesn’t get the proper amount of water at that time, the plant physiology is disturbed and consequently, the plant gets hampered.
Control Measures
The way to control drought injury is to water the plant appropriately. Watering should be done regularly to save the plant. I have described more specs about this solution in the leaf section. Growing issues – resistant varieties
5. Adaptation problems
Adaptation means the way or means of a plant to survive in a specific area or location. All plants cannot go through all types of weather and climatic zones due to their structure and physiology. In the same way, redbud trees are also vulnerable to adverse conditions like temperature stress and so on.
But adaptation problems occur when a new type of plant is introduced in an area. Redbud plants also may face those if they cannot get proper soil conditions and microclimatic components.
Causes
The absence of practicing germination from seeds may be one of the causes of adaptation problems. Different varieties may not survive easily in new places.
Control Measures
Try to manage seeds from the redbud tree of that location. A plant that is germinated from seed possesses all the criteria to adopt at that location. Hence, they can grow better.
6. Insects
Redbud is a common insect-free plant as they are resistant to disastrous pests. But sometimes, wood-feeding and leaf-feeding insects are found in the trees. The below-mentioned pests are found here.
In old trees,
- Wood boring insects
Leaf-eating insects,
- Leafhoppers
- Tent caterpillars
- Treehoppers
- Weevils
- Leafrollers
Causes
The main reason behind pest infestation is their attractive foliage. Besides, the tender leaves are soft enough for the insects to take as their food.
Control Measures
Well, you may not get any benefit by using insecticides as the leaf-feeding insects are mobile. They will eat the leaves and move instantly. That’s why you may take the help of some insect traps like a light trap, butterfly trap, pheromone trap, and malaise trap.
In case of using these traps, place them near your plant and wait. The light trap works at night and the rest of the traps are usable for both day and night. Light traps are much more effective for caterpillars and moths. You may ask your nearby trap shops or find one from online shops.
Else, you may use a sweeping net to catch the hoppers. Use it in the daytime and sweep it several times around the plant. Without some of these disturbances, your tree will remain insect-free.
7. Disease
There are several diseases found in the ruby fall redbud and ruby fall weeping redbud problems. Such as-
- Verticillium wilt
- Leaf spot
- Mildew
- Canker
- Blight
Among them, canker and verticillium wilt are the most destructive diseases for redbud. Cankers can initiate dieback problems and the death of the whole plant.
Causes
If the tree is under stress, these diseases occur easily by different microorganisms like fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, and so on. Canker is caused by a fungus.
Control Measures
To control the diseases, you should remove the affected parts immediately so that the fungus cannot spread to other parts of the plant. After that, use a heavy stream to the plant so that the spores are washed out.
Then use industrial fungicides or bactericides or organic solutions made at home. It depends upon your choice. If chemicals are available to you, you can take help from them. Otherwise, you can pick up homemade solutions. I am mentioning two of them for your convenience-
Recipe 1: Neem oil recipe
Mix 1 tablespoon of concentrated neem oil, ¼ teaspoon of aloe vera powder, 2 tablespoons of liquid soap, and a few drops of essential oil into 1 gallon of water. Then spray the plant.
Recipe 2: Baking soda mixture
Take 4 tablespoons of baking soda in 1 gallon of water and mix properly. Then spray to the affected parts.
How To Revive Ruby Falls Redbud And Weeping Redbud Trees
Pruning
Pruning is the most effective way to make your plant overcome problems. Pruning indicates the cutting of the affected parts completely. The microorganisms living in the tree parts will be removed by practicing this.
As a result, the plant will no longer need to waste nutrients and food materials in unwanted parts. Consequently, it will use its energy to grow new foliage. The new leaves will produce more food and the plant will become vibrant again.
Improving Microclimate Conditions
To fight the stress properties, the redbud tree will need all the necessary elements in the perfect amount. Such as, temperature, humidity, watering, soil condition, and nutrient management should be to the point. These demands will help the plant for new growth and create resistance against disturbing situations.
Repotting
Repotting is mainly done if you are done with root problems or soil problems. You cannot save your plant despite supplying all the materials if the soil condition creates havoc for the tree.
The soil properties such as aeration and soil moisture should be appropriate. Excessive moisture is intolerable for the tree. Again, the absence of enough air creates a lack of microbial activities, and soil fertility is reduced.
Hence, you can use a large pot having sandy loam or loam soil mixed with perlite, coco-peat, and sphagnum moss and plant it in the pot. Then, when it gets a height of 3-4 feet, transplant in the main field. Thus, you can get back to your previous plant.
How Can I Protect My Ruby Falls Redbud
Cutting Back
It is an annual practice of the plant that should be practiced every spring after the winter has gone. It indicates the cutting of the accessory parts of the plant. Cutting this extra foliage will help the plant to have a good shape.
On the other hand, this will enhance the growth stage of the plant. The new leaves will come out full of photosynthates which will provide extra energy to the plant for conducting all the activities.
Proper Management
Ruby falls redbud and ruby fall weeping redbud- both are easy maintenance plants. You can easily take care of them on your busy days. You should always notice them properly if they are facing any problems or not.
The growth rate, foliage appearance, blooming and all of the growth signs will express their condition. Try to judge them and treat your plant properly with the materials. In this way, you can save your plant.
Caring Guides
| Climate | Humid climate |
| Soil | Loam soil with having pH between 5.5-7.5 |
| Sunlight | Full sun to partial sunlight |
| Temperature | 89.6°F |
| Humidity | 70% or more than that |
| Watering | Water the plant regularly |
| Cutting back | Remove the unwanted parts every spring |
| Fertilizers | Bone meal, fish meal, and chemical fertilizers should be used once in spring |
Difference Between Ruby Falls Redbud and Ruby Falls Weeping Redbud Trees
The main difference between them is their foliage color. They are the same type of tree. But as they are hybrid, their foliage color differs due to their F1 generation or parent characteristics.
That’s why ruby falls weeping redbud has a light purple and greenish leaves color due to the weeping green colored ‘Covey’ redbud. Again, ruby falls redbud leaves possess their dark purple color because of ‘Forest pansy redbud’.
As they are the same type of hybrid, they are almost the same in all the plant characteristics, problems, and other issues except the leaf color.
FAQs
Are these plants called shrubs?
No. Ruby falls redbud and ruby fall weeping redbud are considered deciduous trees. But sometimes the height and stem type of this plant differ from plant to plant. Considering the condition and variety, you may also get shrub ruby falls redbud.
What are the benefits of these plants?
There are several benefits of this plant. Check them below-
- Redbud trees are planted for ornamental purposes.
- They can create shade for the little plants or herbs.
- Sometimes baskets are made from the woods of the trunks.
- Dyes are extracted from the redbud bark.
- It helps to maintain the ecology of harmful insects and their natural enemies.
Final Words
Finally, I have reached the last section of this detailed discussion. Redbud trees are one of my favorite trees. I planted it in my garden mixing it with dogwood plants. This calms my eyes and provides mental peace to me.
But thus peace gets destroyed when my redbud plants are attacked with problems. That’s why I tried many ways to keep my plants perfectly alive which I have described here. If you guys also find this helpful, then apply it to your plants and get a beautifully organized garden.
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