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  • Answered by
    Nikki on
    March 12, 2012
    Certified Expert
    A.

    I would recommend treating them with fungicide (neem oil is an effective fingicide) frequently at the beginning of the year, including the soil around the plants. Also, prune some of the interior branches out so that the plant has better air circulation.

    This article will help you with preventing future rust problems: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/disease/learn-about-plant-rust-disease-and-rust-treatment.htm

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  • Answered by
    theficuswrangler on
    December 1, 2014
    A.

    I could not find African sumac listed in any of the allelopathic lists, although sumac as a genus is listed. So it's possible. Petunias are also quite susceptible to juglone ( the poisonous compound in allelopathic plants.) The poisonous compounds of black walnut (the most famous allelopathic tree) are supposed to be rendered inert after a month of hot composting, but some people say it may take a year for all the poisonous substances to be gone from the soil. Unfortunately there's not a lot of research on this subject.
    https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/allelopathic-plants.htm
    Here is an article that goes over some possible problems with petunias: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/petunia/problems-with-petunias.htm

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  • Answered by
    Downtoearthdigs on
    June 23, 2015
  • Answered by
    Downtoearthdigs on
    October 14, 2015
    A.

    Peeling bark can be from environmental issues. Cold temperatures can cause some damage to the leaves and trunks.
    The natural aging of the tree can also account for changes in the bark. The young wood starts out as a light tan to gray color and with age cracks to revel reddish colors.
    African Sumac is quite drought tolerant and will actually do better with less water.

    Inspect the plant carefully to determine if you see any insects or other signs of fungus.

    https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/peeling-bark-on-trees.htm

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  • Answered by
    LuvaLeigh on
    July 8, 2016
    A.

    They are a self propagating tree so it will likely regenerate from the suckers. There are many different reasons as to why it could have died; temperature fluctuations, fungal or insect damage, even mowing to closely to the roots. They generally can live up to 60 years so I don't think age is a factor here.

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  • Answered by
    Alisma on
    September 6, 2016
    Certified Expert
    A.

    This could be a problem with either overwatering or underwatering, or a disease problem. Overwatering could occur if your soil has poor drainage.

    See this article about cotton root rot, a disease which can affect African sumac and which could cause dying leaves and branches:

    http://www.azlca.com/uploads/documents/03-cotton-texas-root-rot.pdfRoot rot or crown rot

    This tree can also be infected by verticillium wilt disease. See this article:

    https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/disease/verticillium-wilt-treatment.htm

    You may also want to consult an arborist or your local extension service to see what can be done.

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