I got a seedling Catalpa tree last year, this year we're having tons of rain and its grown like a foot maybe two feet now so far this year... which only puts it about 3 feet tall. However all the leaves on the new growth are all crumpled up. Here are some pics... What can I do about this? Please tell me this tree isn't doomed.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12614/leaves1_2.jpg)
Here is a close up of the leaf. There is a little water in the leaf because I watered a nearby plant and got some water on the leaves.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12614/leaves2_2.jpg)
The leaves lower on the tree look normal.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12614/tree_2.jpg)
Here is the whole tree.
Any advice would be great. My dad said one of his trees is doing the same thing, I think his is an apple tree though. Is it just too much water this year?
Chuck
Chuck, on the forestry Forum we have a strict and well documented rule about photo posting. Photos MUST meet our size requirements and MUST reside within a members gallery on the Forestry Forum. You can replace the edits in your post with your uploaded photos. Instructions for uploading photos and using your forum gallery can be found using the help link in the menu bar.
Thanks Chuck!
THat a way chucky. Thats the Team spirit!
Can't say right off what the problem is, but my first impression is not to worry too much. Leaf diseases on deciduous trees normally aren't a big deal because they get dropped. The leaves are still green, so you're getting photosynthesis, and it's not affecting all the leaves. The chances of the same leaf disease hitting apple and catalpa are pretty slim. Keep an eye on 'em and anything that gets dropped should be cleaned up, especially over winter.
I'll see what I can find about crumpling, for some reason I'm thinking it's just new leaves that haven't finished growing or something viral, but a wet spring would imply fungus (did I cover myself enough there?).
I have a cherry that is doing the same thing only worse.
It looks to have some kind of small bug on those leaves.
Do you see any really small bugs?
The crinkling, crumpling, puckering look comes from parts of the leaf growing faster than other parts. That would explain why the lower leaves that have already grown to max size don't show the effect, and the wrinkling is showing up in the newer growth.
Still haven't pinpointed a cause, though fungi keep popping up in the search.