Falling Leaves

[Lin W]

I have a good-size tree in my front yard that I have always referred to as the “tulip tree.” I don’t know what it actually is; it has big yellow to orange flowers that are sort of pointy tulip-shaped and it makes large oval seed pods full of heart-shaped seeds surrounded by iridescent cellophane kinda stuff. A couple of weeks ago it started to bloom, lots of green leaves and gorgeous flowers…spring! Then five or six days ago I noticed the leaves were browning. Then the flowers fell off and this morning when I went out to get the newspaper, the driveway is full of brown, crunchy leaves and the tree is nearly bare -- looks dead. There are several of these trees in the neighborhood and they all seem to be suffering the same fate. First time this has happened in the four years I’ve been here so I’m wondering if this is a result of the vog or some virulent new tree disease, or something else entirely. Anyone else have sick trees in the past week or so? Another tree that I was told was mountain apple is also suddenly dropping leaves, just a green one left here and there this morning, pretty bare. I’m in HPP up on 30th. This vog episode didn’t seem as bad as past ones visually but that’s probably not the best way to measure. It hasn’t rained in a few days and everything is pretty dry but this goes way beyond that. Ideas? Suggestions? Anybody? Thanks.


too soon old, too late smart