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Originally Posted by Oysterowl83
Howdy All,
Having a problem with my brush cherry. Its dropping its leaves. The leaves that its dropping are 50% die back, and 50% fresh looking I would say. Its not completely shedding..but dropping enough where I see a differance meaning more leaves in the soil and less lushness apparent in the tree. I keep the tree in a 70 degree room that keeps about 40% humidty. I have a Halogen lighting track system about 1 foot over the tree. I top water it to keep it not too wet..and just a tiny bit more on the dry side just like I do outdoors in the summer. Looking for some troubleshooting advice.
Thanks,
Anthony*
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It's been awhile since I have grown these. I had tried them as garden shrubs here but they just barely couldn't take overwintering without protection. Brush Cherry is evergreen, but it isn't unusual for evergreens (broadleaf or otherwise) drop a percentage 10-33% or so of their needles or leaves within a month or so. They need periodic replacement. Needles might live 3 years at most. Usually in cultivation they are plucked after the second year if not before. For the brush cherry I am not sure of the life of the foliage, but it isn't forever! It wasn't unusual come spring to see a good pile of dropped leaves around the base of the garden plants if I hadn't been dilligent about cleanup.
Now it's a much better sign if the tree drops the foliage than if it browns and stays attached. That is a red flag situation.
But, you should be losing the older leaves not the newest ones: If I remember correctly, the new brush cherry leaves emerge red. Are you saying that you are losing a roughly equal number of new and old leaves?
Regards,
Matt
Brush Cherry Cryogeneticist