How to revive Robina Moptop?

[JMN]

I have a Robina mop top,which is 2 years old.It was growing well and went into hibernation for winter and never resprouted for spring.I am in Adelaide. It has not been over watered ,however our winter was wet.

Just wondering the cause as zI don't want to replace it for the same issue to occur.

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @JMN,

A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community and thank you for your question.

Is it possible to get some photos of the soil beneath the tree and close-ups of the trunk? 

As you've mentioned the winter was wet, your Robinia may be experiencing issues relating to the drainage of the soil. 

Excessive moisture around the roots during a wet winter can lead to root rot, particularly in heavy or poorly drained soils. Robinia trees dislike waterlogged conditions, which can suffocate roots and cause the tree to fail in Spring. 

Fungal diseases such as Phytophthora or Verticillium wilt could also be responsible. These pathogens thrive in moist conditions and can cause sudden dieback. Look for signs of discoloured bark or streaking in the wood when cut.

At present, the best course of action is to improve the drainage of the soil. This can be done by gently aerating with a garden fork and adding organic matter in the form of compost or manure. This will help to increase the biodiversity of your soil and encourage things like earthworms to create channels that will naturally aerate the soil.

It may also be worth cutting back a small section of the tree to check for green tissue, which could indicate it’s still alive but struggling. If no green tissue is visible and the tree is brittle, it’s likely dead and will need replacing.

Allow me to tag @Noelle and @robchin to see if they have any advice.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[robchin]

Sorry to see your trees not doing well. 

Very hard to no from the information we have. But @JacobZ @has mentioned - you need to see if they are still alive  checking for green under the bark is a simple test. If it's alive some seaweed tonic will certainly help.

But @f they're dead - think about what you are going to replace them with. This is a problematic tree over time. They get suckers, can be poisonous and are known to be weedy in some parts of Australia. 

Good luck.