Wilting Lyonothamnus (Catalina Ironwood)

Help! Maybe someone on here has more experience with this tree and can shed some light on this. I planted the 15 gallon tree back in March. We had made a large bermed area and it seemed perfect for the tree, high above the heavy clay for good drainage. In this large area everything else is thriving, including a Sorbus and golden Cercis.

I love the Ironwood and it is my favorite tree. A couple of days ago I noticed some of the inner leaves yellowing. I wasn't worry as many trees, especially evergreens, often do this. This morning I noticed it was wilting. I thought wow, maybe I didnt give it a good enough drink last week, even though none of the smaller perennials and things in the area were dry to wilt stage. So, I watered it good this morning. I just went out to check it and it is still very wilted, maybe worse so. The leaves themselves still feel supple, and the color is bright and glossy, not that off color they get when a tree is collapsng and its too late.

It is in the rose family, would something like verticillium attack like this?

THANKS!
Tina

Any chance that you've got the friendly neighborhood gophers gnawing on the roots? When I find mysterious wilting in my garden many times that's what's going on. Overwatering is another possibility--heavy clay underneath a layer of lighter soil can create the "clay pot" effect where the water drains fine down through the lighter soil, but then it collects at the bottom waiting to drain out into the clay, so the roots end up sitting in water. So if you haven't seen signs of gnawing critters it would be worth trying to stick your finger down a bit into the soil and see how wet it feels.

Thanks Ecrane,

I have gophers in the backyard and I have seen so tell-tale signs of them in the front. I did feel around the soil but I don't think that is the issue. I diagnose soil/watering every day at work and after 20 plus years I rarely lose a plant to something like that.

Upon closer inspection it appears that the tree has sent out a flush of new growth over the past several days, and that is mainly what is wilting. That would explain the yellowing inner leaves. It just looks awful. Has anyone grown this tree or have enough experience to know if this is normal on very soft new growth?

I am attaching some images.

Another one:

Last one:

OK, well in case anyone out there ever reads this...I will "shamefully" update the thread.

One suspicious thing I noticed was a complete lack of hair roots in the top 3 inches or so of soil around the trunk. Odd I thought.

I asked a good plant geek friend of mine to stop by and look at it for an opinion, as this was really BUGGING ME! He called immediately...."Tina! the tree is buried 3 inches below ground! The trunk is rotting!" He even said "I was just going to Facebook you what I thought was wrong, but this is a critical emergency!" LOL...

OMG! I never would do this so I never thought of this! Then I remembered that this was one, of the very few, plants that not only did I not plant it myself....but I wasn't even HOME when my two sons, 12 and 14, and my husband planted it for me. I always harp about planting levels if anyone is helping me but I guess they dug it too deep, and it being a 15 gallon, just left the rootball low and filled her in! YIKES!

So, it is one sad tree. I dug away all the soil. I clipped back the new, wilted growth. It looks bad. When an evergreen plant defoliates, it can be the end. I have fingers crossed.

SO......DON"T PLANT TOO DEEP!

Guess you'll never leave the family alone to plant stuff again! Glad you figured out what was wrong--hope it wasn't too late but at least you know what happened so next time you shouldn't have trouble with it if you do have to try again with a new tree.

Thanks Ecrane.

And your suggestions earlier were right on, exactly what I would have said if a customer came in with this problem.

The lame thing is that they did it as a "present" for me. It was the first thing planted after we totally overhauled the front yard dirt wise (built mounds, hauled about a million wheelbarrows of soil etc). So my boss says not to say anything. But of course, being a gardener, I did...but gently, not accusingly, just so maybe after they are on their own planting their yards THEY WONT DO IT AGAIN>>>LOL!

And your right, at least I know what it is, so I can try it again if it croaks. I am giving it awhile...but it is one of my favorite trees, mainly for the smell of the foliage. It WILL be in my front yard....I didn't relocate to zone 17 for nothing! :)
Tina