Is there any way our Mango Tree can still live?

[Lonious]

Hello, all!

I'm hoping for your advice on the situation we're going through.

Living in a tropical country, storms come about once every few months. One has actually uprooted our Mango Tree, and this was around a year ago. Since then, the Mango Tree has been very sparse of leaves. Most leaves are either gone or wilting.

But we tried to water it using a hose, which somehow maybe worked.

A few days ago I noticed its seemingly severe state; it seemed to have even fewer leaves than normal, so we got the hose and watered it for about an hour, in the soil area that the roots seem to have carried with it (as the tree has been knocked down).

Unfortunately, today, I've surveyed it, and to my grief, it seems to have had lost practically all its leaves. It now seems to have almost no green leaves at all; practically almost all the leaves are either gone, or brown and withering.

It leaves me with a heavy heart and sad feeling to see Mother Nature, especially in our very own garden, go down like this, so I hope for your kind, generous, and informative advice on the matter. Would you know where and how an arborist can be contacted? Will watering it with a hose somehow make it survive? Is there hope?

Here are some pictures:

The Roots:

Thank you very much!

Regards,
Lonious

 

[Chuck]

Normally when this sort of thing happens to a tree it will not kill it. One good sign that the tree is alive is that the leaves fell off. If a tree is really dead the leaves will turn brown but will not fall. If I were to bet, I would bet that the roots will send up shoots if the major part of the tree were removed. Have you scraped the bark off of different parts of the tree to see if the cambium layer is alive? If it isn't a greenish color it is dead or at least that part of the tree is dead and should be removed because once it is dead it isn't going to come alive again. What probably happened was that when the tree blew over it severely damaged the root system and what is happening now is that the tree is trying to compensate by dropping all of its leaves in order to stay alive.

 

[valedevento]

I would also suggest scraping the bark to check if it's still alive. If so, just give it some time to grow new roots and it will come back to life. We had a tree that looked dead after we moved it, but it pulled through eventually.

 

[Vinaya]

Perhaps, the tree is hibernating. Cover the entire roots with good quality compost and continue watering.It may rise up from the ashes. However, it could also die because in my experience, mango has less regenerating power.

 

[Lonious]

Thank you all for your advice!

Normally when this sort of thing happens to a tree it will not kill it. One good sign that the tree is alive is that the leaves fell off. If a tree is really dead the leaves will turn brown but will not fall. If I were to bet, I would bet that the roots will send up shoots if the major part of the tree were removed. Have you scraped the bark off of different parts of the tree to see if the cambium layer is alive? If it isn't a greenish color it is dead or at least that part of the tree is dead and should be removed because once it is dead it isn't going to come alive again. What probably happened was that when the tree blew over it severely damaged the root system and what is happening now is that the tree is trying to compensate by dropping all of its leaves in order to stay alive.

The problem is that it seems that not all of the leaves fell off. By now I think the tree has no green leaves at all; the few that remain are brown and wilted. Does this mean that it is no longer alive? However, I think having brown leaves is normal for this tree since it was uprooted.

I have tried doing a "scratch test" on the middle of the trunk. The wood beneath is brown and dry. But it is thick so I'm not sure I can say it is brittle. Also, I don't think many trees have a "greenish" color beneath the bark...I'm not sure, but doesn't it seem normal for a tree to have brown wood (or light brown wood) underneath its bark?

Allegedly, our helper says it is still alive. I hope this is true!

As of now, could you give me any suggestions as to what can be done for it?

I would also suggest scraping the bark to check if it's still alive. If so, just give it some time to grow new roots and it will come back to life. We had a tree that looked dead after we moved it, but it pulled through eventually.

I have. I am not quite sure it is really alive. The wood beneath the bark is brown and dry...yet our helper says it's still alive. What could be happening? What do you suggest I do?

Perhaps, the tree is hibernating. Cover the entire roots with good quality compost and continue watering.It may rise up from the ashes. However, it could also die because in my experience, mango has less regenerating power.

Hibernating? I am no expert in trees, but it seems that trees' leaves fall off during Fall. My country is a tropical country and there is no such season. Nowadays it is not exactly very hot; it is in fact quite cool, being January. However, it hardly rains these days.

How could it die? You think it might die if I covered the roots with compost, and continue watering it,as you say? Hmm...it seems to have stayed there for around a year now. However, it has done so with very few leaves (and now, seemingly no green leaves at all).

Should I cover the empty hole beneath the uprooted soil with compost?

Thank you all once more!

 

[Chuck]

Thank you all for your advice!



The problem is that it seems that not all of the leaves fell off. By now I think the tree has no green leaves at all; the few that remain are brown and wilted. Does this mean that it is no longer alive? However, I think having brown leaves is normal for this tree since it was uprooted.

I have tried doing a "scratch test" on the middle of the trunk. The wood beneath is brown and dry. But it is thick so I'm not sure I can say it is brittle. Also, I don't think many trees have a "greenish" color beneath the bark...I'm not sure, but doesn't it seem normal for a tree to have brown wood (or light brown wood) underneath its bark?

Allegedly, our helper says it is still alive. I hope this is true!

As of now, could you give me any suggestions as to what can be done for it?



I have. I am not quite sure it is really alive. The wood beneath the bark is brown and dry...yet our helper says it's still alive. What could be happening? What do you suggest I do?



Hibernating? I am no expert in trees, but it seems that trees' leaves fall off during Fall. My country is a tropical country and there is no such season. Nowadays it is not exactly very hot; it is in fact quite cool, being January. However, it hardly rains these days.

How could it die? You think it might die if I covered the roots with compost, and continue watering it,as you say? Hmm...it seems to have stayed there for around a year now. However, it has done so with very few leaves (and now, seemingly no green leaves at all).

Should I cover the empty hole beneath the uprooted soil with compost?

Thank you all once more!

ALL trees, mangos included, have a cambium layer and it is greenish. On some trees the bark is thicker. When you scratch the bark be sure to scratch through it. You will know when you do. If and when you find green the tree is alive and if you don't it is dead. Maybe only part of the tree is dead or maybe it is still in shock. IF, IF the tree is dead that doesn't necessarily mean the roots are dead to. First find out if it is dead or not. Scratch or even chop the bark back on the main trunk, just make sure you are through the bark, until you see green. If you don't see green it's dead and you should cut the trees off at ground level, cover up the hole with soil/compost and wait. It might resprout from the roots. Google cambium layer in mango tree. There are some decent pictures and a lot of info

 

[valedevento]

If you scrape the bark away and it is brown that part of the tree is dead, make sure you scrape deep enough. I would recommend removing all dead branches so all the energy and light can go to the part of the tree that is still allive. If it is really dead, then it is time to think about another tree :-(