Xtremehorticulture of the Desert: Branch Die Back in Fantex Ash Tree

Q. I have three fantex ash trees. Every spring there are branches that don’t seem to bounce back from winter. They sometimes get the tufts like they are going to get leaves but never do. This winter was unusual and this year it seems I have more partial branches (my guess is last years growth portion) that have no leaves. Do I cut these off or not worry about them? My largest tree of the three could be a runner up for the game of thrones throne....ok not that spiky but worse than I’ve seen it and it’s close to being above my two-story house. REALLY don’t want to lose that tree.

No pictures submitted

A. The it's a little difficult to say without seeing what's going on but I lean towards a disease that we've had problems with an ash trees over the past 30 years in the Las Vegas Valley called ash decline. I am assuming that these leafless branches are dry and brittle.

It is a slow, progressive disease that kills more and more in the canopy year after year. The trees struggle and don't have a lot of new growth. It doesn't seem to matter what you do to the tree, once they get this disease they eventually die over time. I have tried adding more water, more fertilizer and it doesn't seem to make any difference.

Personally, I have noted that trees growing in rock landscapes seem to be coming down with this disease problem sooner than trees not going in rock landscapes. Eventually you'll have to remove it and plant something else in its place.