Sad Orange tree Lane Late variety

11 years ago

Hi,
I have had a young orange tree (Lane Late variety) for nearly two years. It was really healthy despite the strange shape :)
It is however looking a little sick / sad / unhealthy at the moment. The top branches have lost pretty much all their leaves over the winter and some are dying. They were covered in blooms last week and still have a few. I thought at first that it might have been from the winter, even though we didn't get very cold here in Barcelona, Spain.
I read a few posts on here this morning and I guess all could apply to my poor little tree.
The healthy looking branches at the bottom seem to have the same shaped leaves (and new ones) as the top had and had a few blossoms too BUT they have thorns, whereas the top doesn't. I kept them growing because it filled the tree up a bit. I read here that because of the thorns they could be from the bottom part of the tree (roots) and not the Lane Late orange tree part. Now, if these are suckers (right name??), should I cut them off? Now? Will that not affect the tree negatively?
I also read that the wind could affect the foliage. We are on the 6th floor of the building and it gets pretty windy at times... Could this be the cause?
And the top of the tree is in the sun in the morning at the moment before 13:00 ish and the pot is in the shade then and only gets in the sunshine in the afternoon. Could this be another problem where the roots are cold and the leaves are / were depleted of their water...
I hope someone can enlighten me on this.... I have got a little more confused after reading these posts this morning and would appreciate some help and advice.
Thanks already for your comments!

(THe first photo here is from April 2012 before the big branches appeared at the bottom)

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

EmiEmiR
Original Author
11 years ago
This is the tree now, 18th April 2013
EmiEmiR
Original Author
11 years ago
Close up of the bottom branches with thorns
Related Professionals
Bellflower Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Grand Haven Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Saint Louis Park Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Southfield Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Billerica Landscape Contractors · Lakeland Landscape Contractors · Bellefontaine Neighbors Landscape Contractors · Harvey Landscape Contractors · Lemoore Landscape Contractors · Long Beach Landscape Contractors · Metairie Landscape Contractors · Munster Landscape Contractors · Palos Verdes Estates Landscape Contractors · Roswell Landscape Contractors · Tysons Corner Stone, Pavers & Concrete
EmiEmiR
Original Author
11 years ago
Following up on the reply from kentuck_8b on the Garden Forum I think, she thought it was strange to have one half of the tree with thorn and the top half without as they are not growing from under the obvious graft at the bottom...
I have since inspected the trunk and found what could be a second graft:
This is a "cut" which is more or less under the white string and below the first healthy branch and pretty much in the middle of the tree, when you look at the photo of the full tree.
hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
11 years ago
I very much doubt you have two grafts. Just one. What you're showing in the above photo does not appear to be a graft line to me. The two stubs from pruned/broken branches should be pruned shorter. They can end up being a source for infection as they will die back, so trim them closer to the main trunk. I see you're re-potted, which was a very good thing - it was in too small a pot to start with, so what you're probably seeing is some transplant shock, which is to be expected. I would simply continue to water and also fertilize with each watering, and use 1/2 strength fertilizer. It should come around for you, as you've got it outside in the nice sunshine. And, thorns are very normal for new growth, your recommendation on the Gardens Forum was incorrect. New growth/water shoots very often will have some substantial thorns, and then the thorns will go away as the tree matures. Perfectly normal with any citrus, including orange trees, which normally are pretty much thornless (but not their new growth, and more predominant on young trees - this is their "protection mechanism" to thwart animals from eating their tender young growth.)

Patty S.
EmiEmiR
Original Author
11 years ago
Sounds great! Thanks Patty! I will go and buy some fertilizer straight away!
Do you know how much I should cut back branches that look dead (brown)? I mean at the top of the tree.
Looking back at my photos from last year, we repotted it back between end of April and mid May... Can the transplant shock take that long?
Thanks again!
Em