Zombie Azalea

Lazylightningny

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Posted here is an azalea I thought was a goner for sure. Last summer I was digging around the topsoil trying to expose more roots and nebari. I must have nicked the bark at the root base, because a month later, a large crack started up the trunk. Presumably it developed a fungal infection. I sprayed it with daconil, but another month later, dried bark started sloughing off the trunk. All the leaves fell off and I put it away for the winter with little hope for it in the coming spring. Sure enough, by spring it looked pretty dead. The trunk was completely girdled. Not a speck of bark. In March, I chopped it hard and hoped for the best. Picture 1 was taken May 5. No hope, right? But then some buds started popping. Photo 2 was taken June 9. I thought they wouldn't last long. I've seen many trees bud out only to fail and die a month later. But it grew. Photo 3 was taken today, July 18.

I'm amazed, and obviously happy, but dumbfounded at the same time. Water and minerals are obviously getting up to the leaves through the xylem, but how can sugars get back to the roots if there's no bark (phloem)? how can this plant survive without bark? I jave the bottom of the pot cut off and placed on the ground to help absorb excess moisture. I'm sure there are lots of dead roots but i don't date bare root it until next spring. I'm thinking I should just leave it alone.

Any wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

20180505_141043.jpg20180706_162419.jpg20180718_161717.jpg
 

0soyoung

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At this time of year, trees store energy (sugars) as starch grains in the vacuoles of living cells throughout the tree (woody perennial plant). These reserves are converted back into usable sugar in spring. In my experience, roots of trees have reserves sufficient to last about 18 months. IOW, if you are right that there is no phloem, your azalea might survive into early next season, at which point, it will abruptly collapse.

Further, if you are right that the phloem is missing, then the cambium certainly is as well because the cells desiccate in a day or two with no epiderm. If so, this is just a big girdle and auxin and sugars are piling up just above the area of missing bark - just the conditions for a layer! Surround with a damp medium and wait for roots.

However, by now you should see a callus lip if this is the case - do you? It may be as minor as a small bump of a ring around the trunk. If not, I suggest that you are misinterpreting things. Azaleas have a thin flaky bark on the outside, similar to many junipers, and a smooth bark underneath. Scrape this 'barkless' area a bit with your thumbnail or cut a little notch with a knife to see if that is smooth bark on the outside, a thin cambium layer and then wood or nothing but wood on the outside like you think.


Fun stuff, huh?
 

Lazylightningny

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At this time of year, trees store energy (sugars) as starch grains in the vacuoles of living cells throughout the tree (woody perennial plant). These reserves are converted back into usable sugar in spring. In my experience, roots of trees have reserves sufficient to last about 18 months. IOW, if you are right that there is no phloem, your azalea might survive into early next season, at which point, it will abruptly collapse.

Further, if you are right that the phloem is missing, then the cambium certainly is as well because the cells desiccate in a day or two with no epiderm. If so, this is just a big girdle and auxin and sugars are piling up just above the area of missing bark - just the conditions for a layer! Surround with a damp medium and wait for roots.

However, by now you should see a callus lip if this is the case - do you? It may be as minor as a small bump of a ring around the trunk. If not, I suggest that you are misinterpreting things. Azaleas have a thin flaky bark on the outside, similar to many junipers, and a smooth bark underneath. Scrape this 'barkless' area a bit with your thumbnail or cut a little notch with a knife to see if that is smooth bark on the outside, a thin cambium layer and then wood or nothing but wood on the outside like you think.


Fun stuff, huh?
There is a callus lip where the bark ends, so bad news. Further, the trunk is just wood. I'll try to layer it, but the girdling extends up into the branches. If I'm lucky, maybe I can get a clump out of it.

Thanks for your help.
 

Mike Hennigan

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There is a callus lip where the bark ends, so bad news. Further, the trunk is just wood. I'll try to layer it, but the girdling extends up into the branches. If I'm lucky, maybe I can get a clump out of it.

Thanks for your help.

Hey did you ever try to layer this tree? A pretty peculiar situation, I’d love to know if you were able to save it
 

Rivka

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Yeah this would be an interesting issue to follow. I think i would have tipped the orientation strongly and basically laid it in its side with the dreadwood branch staying clear of the ground. Could end up really interesting
 
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