Cork bark elm - new growth turning black

[schoolpizza]

This is my first elm, I bought it having been recently dug out of the ground and heavily root trimmed. I removed a couple branches and potted it in a good deciduous mix. Buds swelled and it started pushing new growth, and about a week ago I noticed this purple/blackening and wilting on most of the new leaves.

Can anyone identify what's going on? Will the new growth get frost bite if temps get too low (mid 30s) at night... or is this the "black spot" fungus I've been reading about? Any advice appreciated.

 

[Betula1]

Looks like frost damage

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

I may be reading your description wrong. Did you say this year that it was dug out of the ground and root pruned, then you purchased it, and then you repotted it again into inorganic soil?

Did it stay out overnight in freezing temps after the repot or after buds started opening?

If the answer to either or both of these questions is yes then likely you’re looking at a tree that had a bit too much stress or got too cold. Either way with good aftercare and being sure it doesn’t dry out or get frosted it should recover and grow out the rest of the year just fine. If you’re worried you could always give it a prophylactic spray of fungicide.

 

[schoolpizza]

Yes you have that right. It was kind of wrapped in damp moss by the seller so I didnt really repot it, just pot it once . It has been outside since February in zone 7a. Should I have kept it indoors wrapped in its moss until spring?

I also took a couple huge branches off. No doubt the tree has been stressed! Buds started extending in early March when we had a warm spell but nights have dropped to mid 30s for a couple weeks now. So I figured this could be frost damage but thought it could be black spot as well.

Pic of the tree originally.

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Yes you have that right. It was kind of wrapped in damp moss by the seller so I didnt really repot it, just pot it once . It has been outside since February in zone 7a. Should I have kept it indoors wrapped in its moss until spring?

I also took a couple huge branches off. No doubt the tree has been stressed! Buds started extending in early March when we had a warm spell but nights have dropped to mid 30s for a couple weeks now. So I figured this could be frost damage but thought it could be black spot as well.

Pic of the tree originally.

Ok. Yeah at this point I’d err against a pest or pathogen and figure tree is stressed and has some frost damage. Be sure it doesn’t freeze again but otherwise just get it the appropriate amount of sun and start fertilizing after it’s leafed out a bit and otherwise don’t work it and I bet you’ll see it bounce back. You may even want to just let it grow without much work next year as well to really establish its health before you do anymore restyling.

 

[schoolpizza]

Ok. Yeah at this point I’d err against a pest or pathogen and figure tree is stressed and has some frost damage. Be sure it doesn’t freeze again but otherwise just get it the appropriate amount of sun and start fertilizing after it’s leafed out a bit and otherwise don’t work it and I bet you’ll see it bounce back. You may even want to just let it grow without much work next year as well to really establish its health before you do anymore restyling.

Thanks for the advice, that sounds like a plan. I'll monitor and resist the temptation to start pruning again.

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

Thanks for the advice, that sounds like a plan. I'll monitor and resist the temptation to start pruning again.

I think more trees is the answer here.

 

[schoolpizza]

Haha I'm always looking, coming to find that it's quality over quantity in this art.