Did you have wind as well? We have been pretty windy during the heat at my house. I've not had near the damage that have had, but most of our trees have been in the ground for a few years as well. I got a Triflorum Maple in a pot that has taken a beating from the heat, and it's even in the shade sheltered from the wind, while the one we have planted, has handled the heat well. I would think soil temps probable have something to do with it as well, as evidenced by the above Triflorum's. Last I saw the soil temps there were in the 90's, and that certainly won't help with the heat stress. Looks like they have dropped a bit after last nights showers in some areas (wish you had gotten more).

BTW, if you aren't doing so already, I keep a record of tree caliper of our trees. I record the caliper each fall after leaf drop, or color change. Also record first flower, or I find the first open leaf. That is how I pull out numbers about how much caliper they have added etc, and gives me excellent indicators on health. Yeah, I'm a geek, but I'm a happy geek with trees I love. :-)

Arktrees

Here is a link that might be useful: Real time soil temps for Oklahoma

Only saving grace is that the lows are actually bearable and probably "normal".

All your trees should come back nicely next year, maybe a little dieback.

And I thought we had it bad here. We have had more days over 100 degrees than ya'll but certainly not quite as hot. Surprisingly, the only tree really hurt is an established blackgum (which has been flood watered since the first symptoms started to get bad). It is the only tree to get supplemental water. White ash, all oaks, lacebark elm, redbuds, tartarian and shantung maples show no stress. Even the baldcypress seems OK, which surprises me. River birches have done their normal internal leaf shed but seem OK. Even have a 'Cherokee Princess' dogwood, somewhat protected, that is looking normal but I don't see any bloom buds setting on for next spring. Tonight they are predicting a 60 percent chance of rain...oooooooyeah!
hortster

hey jon ....

i realize you have done many posts about all this.. but i cant recall the facts in all the different posts ...

these look like very young babes.. how long ago planted??? i think its a function of not quite being 'established'] .. the roots can not process enough water to offset the ambient weather ...

once fully est'd ... they will be very much more able to handle the vagaries of weather [which i call free range] ... but until then.. they will have the potential to do this ... whether or not you have proper water ... water deep into fall ... if not all winter, of which i have no idea what you call winter ...

its sunburn ... to my eye ... [which i also see in winter in my z5 ... winter dessication]

i am presuming that you are inserting your finger.. and insuring the amount of water.. is actually keeping the soil moist at root depth ...

mulch sounds about right ...

otherwise .. its young tree-father paranoia ... presuming proper water.. there isnt much more you can do ....

good luck

ken

ps: the leaves on the maple look like they might be drooping.. beyond the sunburn... if so.. its not getting enough water.. or its normal for whatever maple that is ....

pps: i appreciate the pix of the logbook.. but they werent necessary.. i believe you if you say you took notes .. lol ...

I hope so whaas. So glad I don't live near concrete islands! I have a leafless kousa and a leafless scarlet oak that are still green on the stem though they have been leafless for nearing 2 weeks now. I REALLY hope the scarlet oak makes it.

Ark, all the trees that had been in the ground for over a year are doing well with the supplemental water I am providing. I have not observed any of this singeing on any established trees, only the new ones. So I see what you are saying there.

Forgot to mention in the original post which weather station I am using. Sooooo.... I can't find it online so I will post a pic instead.

{{gwi:413194}}
By jp_42_82 at 2011-08-03

Hortster that is encouraging. Hope you cash in on the rain and to hell with this heat for the year!

Ken, the pics were more to help me tabulate the stats lol
I think you are spot on with sunburn (that is a sugar maple) and them being sensitive because they are still getting used to their new home

I'll have to dig out my picture of the -25.4 from Last Feb to post to this thread, just for grins. We get big temp swing here in Arkansas, but I these are by far the biggest that I am aware of in one year. I went from -25.4 on Feb 10th, to 110 last week at the nearest reporting station (I don't trust my daytime readings). 135 temp swing over about 7 months, not to mention the 27 inches of rain in 5 weeks in between. Un-freaking real. Can we say unstable?

Arktrees

The coldest I've ever seen it in Arkansas. There was ~18" of powdery snow on the ground from a storm the day before. Far cry from what the summer has been like.

Arktrees

{{gwi:413196}}

Add another 105 to the stats today. HOWEVER, it felt decidedly like fall this evening with temps going to the upper 80's this evening instead of low 100's to upper 90's. Iy was actually nice watering weather :) This should also be our last scorcher for a while and hopefully the last of the year. Rain is officially in the forecast for awhile. Maybe this time some will head my way instead of teasing me with a thunder and lightening show. Highs in the low- mid 90's on the entire 7 day on the local ABC? I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

On a sadder note, most of the trees that provide a nice fall show to and from work on the hills are now different shades of brown or already defoliated. Not much of a fall around here I'm afraid. Last year was gorgeous, though.

Anyone else ready for El Nino to return? The sooner the better, hopefully the models are wrong about the return of la nina or it will be short lived.

What an extreme year, huh? Just crazy... and the radar animation of that band sucking in moisture from the south to put out that 2'+ of snow is remarkable and well worth viewing.

Thanks for posting the pic, Ark :)

Well... this isn't heat damage... but I am kinda missin' this stuff. It was certainly miserable before. Now it's tornado season for us, which means hail too. Had quarter size hail and a few pieces larger yesterday.
Just thought I'd share this image of leaves, hope everyone enjoys it. :)

{{gwi:413198}}

~Tina Marie