Madrone update

#4338

#4359

#4377

This past weekend, I sent photos of our Texas madrone (Arbutus xalapensis) to Mike Prochoroff, who gifted her to us in March 2017. He raises the native species at his nursery, The Madrone Way. Here are his comments and thoughts about how she's doing:

"Sheryl, thanks for the Madrone update and photos. Photo 4338 looks like the deer are nibbling, but the surviving leaves look healthy.  Bites could be caterpillars, but they’d be early; the snipped ends look like deer.  Also, the black fungal spots look controlled, not expanding with the rains.  A good sign.  Again, you have rich soil and with healthy rainfall don’t need the weekly watering.

"Photo 4359 (again some browsing evident) shows good basal sprouts.  If this is the bottom of photo 4377, then the Madrone is healthily reacting to the stress.

"The top part of photo 4377 shows black leaves which are probably the overwatering reaction. But I think I see a few healthy green ones (so did the deer!), and that would mean you dried the root system in time and she’s turning around. Wait and see. Spring hopes eternal.  Or Hope springs eternal. It’s one or both."