Is this tree dead?

Zach Smith

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We do use the scratch test often, but it's not a solid guarantee. You need to learn the difference between what I call "dry green" and "moist green." Some species will scratch dry green and give the appearance of life, but they're just not yet dried out fully. Some species don't scratch green reliably (Bald cypress, for example). So it's a learning process.
 

Mapleminx

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We do use the scratch test often, but it's not a solid guarantee. You need to learn the difference between what I call "dry green" and "moist green." Some species will scratch dry green and give the appearance of life, but they're just not yet dried out fully. Some species don't scratch green reliably (Bald cypress, for example). So it's a learning process.
Thanks Zach, that helps clear up a lot of confusion 👍👍
 

Driftwood

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We do use the scratch test often, but it's not a solid guarantee. You need to learn the difference between what I call "dry green" and "moist green." Some species will scratch dry green and give the appearance of life, but they're just not yet dried out fully. Some species don't scratch green reliably (Bald cypress, for example). So it's a learning process.

Could you explain what do you mean by 'Some species don't scratch green reliably' ? Could you show a picture of a scratch or cut which doesn't show the cambium and its a live? What other species?
 

Driftwood

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It's not a sure way, it depends upon the species. I do not hurt a tree that is either very weak or dead, as it will have to deal with the wound. If it's alive of course!

This is new to me! if one is scratching deeper than the bark, the cambium should be noticeable. What species it depends on?
 

Forsoothe!

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Figs are good houseplants for a reasonably sunny window. You can keep one in the house permanently, but it will grow very, very slowly, so you have to buy one that is what you want to look at just like it is. Don't regularily rotate the pot, it has an inside side that you look at and and a window side that will grow better. Rotate 180° once a year in spring. You also need to buy it in the right season or from the right circumstances. Going from a typically bright greenhouse in summer to a house will probably result in a lot of dropped leaves (which will regrow). It's better to buy something in a situation more similar to where it's going. Like that same greenhouse in Dec.,Jan. or Feb. the down months.

A south window is best, east and west equally second best and north not normally a good choice. The amount of blue sky outside the window matters. Put your face where the plant would be. What percentage is unobstructed by roof overhang, buildings, bushes, trees, etc.? You need 50% blue sky to call it a good south, or good east or west. You can also see that the closer to the top of window the plant is, the less direct light is available to the top of the plant in a house with a roof overhang, so size matters. Here is a bathroom window Ficus benjamina variegated 'Too Little' forest on a 4" windowsill...
20201009_065530.jpg
This window is SSW facing, but has a tall home 20' away, so it's a 25% south blue sky window. The plant summers outdoors in bright shade.
FTL wf 2020_0811 edit primaries.jpg
It has to be cleansed of outdoor bugs in autumn, sprayed with dove-soapy water, rinsed with clear water, leaves sprayed and soil drenched with 5% Pyola and brought indoors immediately. Otherwise a progression of bugs emerge over winter which my wife notices, without fail.

This is another variety of variegated 'Too Little' but with a very attractive arc in the leaf. It stays indoors all year, every year...
20201009_065647.jpg
It has a Coffee arabica neighbor which is also a very good year-around houseplant. The Coffee is my watering guide. It will droop several inches when it needs water and I water everything in the house when it does so, maybe every 5 to 8 days depending upon season. Watered more often than that, the Coffee will brown at the tips. The figs are happy with that. The Sansevieria is happy with water every two weeks or so. The fig on the other windowsill gets watered every 3 days. They all get about 20 to 25% of the volume of the pot of water, or the surface covered with water 1/2" deep. Only the windowsill pot has drain holes, but the water never gets all the way through the pot. I use a very organic media, unlike everyone else. Choose your poison.

The plants mentioned above by others can receive the same treatment.
 

mrbadfish

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We do use the scratch test often, but it's not a solid guarantee. You need to learn the difference between what I call "dry green" and "moist green." Some species will scratch dry green and give the appearance of life, but they're just not yet dried out fully. Some species don't scratch green reliably (Bald cypress, for example). So it's a learning process.
I know this post is a couple years old, but I’m giving it a shot. I googled “Bald Cypress Scratch Test”, and got here. I have a big BC that I repotted about a month ago (I’m in 9b, SW Florida), and though it’s a tad early, while some of my young baldies are waking up, this one is not yet, and I’m a very impatient person. Great for bonsai right? So I gave her a scratch and pretty much found nothing but brown. Twigs are still flexible and not brittle at all. I hardly removed any roots on the repot. I had it in a 3x3 training box with 100% organics that I made since after collecting it a little over a year ago and just needed to get it into something more manageable. It went to sleep very healthy. Why are BC’s not reliable in scratching green? Is there another way to tell if they are alive? I’m sure I’m just being paranoid, but I’d just like to know. Thanks.
 

Mapleminx

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Is there another way to tell if they are alive?
Patience Grasshopper 😉.
In all seriousness though, just wait and observe. The weather is slowly warming up….I dunno about where you are but here it has been VERY up and down with the temperatures right now. If she doesn’t wake up a bit further into spring then I’d start worrying.
There really is not much else you can do aside from wait until the season hits a point where they should 100% be showing signs of life.
 
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