Plum tree leaves have brown tips and curl

Question

We have a plum tree that all the leaves turn brown at the tips after they form in the spring. What could be causing this? This is the tree’s second year and it has done it both years. It seems otherwise to be healthy, although we have not had fruit on it yet.

Answer 1

Without seeing the tree it can be very difficult to diagnose it. The cause could be an underdeveloped, damaged, or weak rooting system causing the tree to have a difficult time absorbing water through its roots. It could also be the leaf curl plum aphid. It could also be a virus. A sapling (a young tree) will take a few years before it is mature enough to produce fruit. A fruitless mature tree could be suffering from what I mentioned earlier or something else (inadequate quality soil, incorrect or lack of pruning, frost damage, insect pest infestation, root rot, etc.). Did the tree produce any flowers? A tree not blooming often indicates that it is too young. A tree that did bloom but produced no fruit could indicate that it was not adequately pollinated by insects.