Mature Avocado tree dropping leaves in the spring?
Is this normal? Can a tree this established both bloom and have root rot? If not normal What do I do????
The following thread was started by Eric on March 26, 2008 at 7:57 pm PST
The tree is sending all it's energy (carbohydrates) into flowering and drops leaves to compensate for this. Depending on variety and carbohydrate storage from the past year the amount of leaf drop will vary.
This is normal and nothing to worry about unless your tree does have severe root rot. If so, then just hope for the best. After flowering, if new growth appears then the tree will be fine.
The above followup was added by Tom on March 26, 2008 at 8:06 pm PST.
My Fuerte avocado is doing the same thing right now as it does every year at this time. Very normal. Not to worry.
This is the start of leaf fall which will continue through the summer. As Tom said, you will probably see new growth pretty soon -- maybe within two weeks or so.
Incidentally, if you don't already, let those leaves collect under the tree as a mulch. Avocado feeder roots are very shallow and they feed on this mulch. This is essential for fruiting. And let the mulch get "woody" with small branches.
I get around 150 to 200 avocados every year on an eighteen to twenty foot tree canopy. People often ask me how I get so many avocados when they have none on an oitherwise healthy tree. I ask them, "Do you "clean" up the tree's leaves?" Invariably, they answer, "Yes."
Tony (Burbank)
The above followup was added by Tony (Burbank) on March 26, 2008 at 11:41 pm PST.
Avocados and most other evergreens store their energy in their leaves, not in their roots like deciduous trees. So when spring comes, they start dropping the old leaves, as new ones are forming.
If you get cold in winter, many times they get damaged some too, and these are dropped also, as the new ones develop.
When my tree was younger, and got damaged more by cold, it dropped more leaves this time of year. Now that it is larger, it drops less when it first warms up, but keeps it spread out more over the growing season.
David
The above followup was added by DavidLJ48, Waterford CA, zone14 on March 27, 2008 at 1:12 am PST.
My cherimoya Loses about 2/3rds of its leaves before sending out new growth... which it is doing right now.
Jeff
The above followup was added by Jeff on March 27, 2008 at 1:12 am PST.
You should also notice that there are new leaves beginning to expand among the flowers. My avocado has flowers on every branch (though small as it is), and while the old leaves look poor, the new leaves are coming in.
The above followup was added by Barry on March 27, 2008 at 9:06 am PST.
and with very few leaves. notice the new growth as described by Barry
The above followup was added by George on March 29, 2008 at 10:34 pm PST.
George, that's one lovely 'cado tree. What variety is it and in what zone is it growing?
The above followup was added by Merbert on March 30, 2008 at 7:03 pm PST.
Every one I have ever seen in Central Valley CA or in pic, has never looked like that. Most have a full load of leaves when they bloom. But then most of what I have and see are Mexican and Mexican Guatemalan crosses.
My question would be too, where do you live and what variety?
David
The above followup was added by DavidLJ48, Waterford CA, zone14 on March 31, 2008 at 0:59 am PST.
This is the best type of avocado to have. It is the yard next to my ex-wife's house in Encinitas. The branches hang near to the fence and will soon hang over!
I do not know the variety but knowing who planted it I must assume it to be Haas. It is more upright and much more vigorous than the Bacon in my ex's yard.
George
The above followup was added by George on April 01, 2008 at 10:37 pm PST.