Thanks, gardengall - didn't sound too logical to me, either. BUT - 1st - tree was newly planted, 2nd - the new buds were definitely being nipped off, because one day I would see them and the very next day they were not there, 3rd - I believe a deer would show his marks and break the branches (which we did have done on a different tree) and not just nip off the buds. Any way, this tree did not survive the summer at all, and I do take care of new plants until they are established well, i.e. watering, etc. The other solution could be bugs or something, but I did not see any. Yes, the reason I planted the serviceberry was because I host bluebirds and thought they might like the berries.

IME, deer can be quite precise in their nibbling. They carefully 'pruned' new growth off my Japanese maples and ate the flowers off my dwarf panicle hydrangea, leaving all the leaves and most stems intact. No tearing or marks other than that.

I'm going with deer causing your problems :-)

i would expect a shrub to rebud down low.. and survive .. of course not look pretty ...lol ...

same with a tree ... btw.. what kind of tree.. and where are you??/

ken

Yeah, in addition to dear i would also say squirrels could be the culprit. Nipping buds should not kill a tree by the way. They should form new ones at some point along the stem.

Sounds like replacement plantings need to be enclosed in sturdy wire cages. With small enough spacing between the wires that songbirds cannot get through.

If you also have deer you will have to put up deer fencing if you are not to have these exerting constant pressure, deciding for you what you can and cannot do with your own garden.

Typical deer behavior includes ignoring something for years and then suddenly eating it to the quick under changed circumstances such as a hard winter.

In my experience, there are several kinds of birds that will feed on the swollen buds of woody plants. Robins, cardinals, waxwings, jays, and cardinals are among the culprits in my own yard. They will nip the buds off with their beaks, causing little additional damage.

Squirrels, on the other hand, will strip bark and snip small branches along with the buds, flowers, and fruit.

But I don't associate plant death with this kind of damage. My first suspicion, with a lack of pictures and furthur information, would be to look at planting practices, drainage, or other site issues.

British gardening references mention problems with certain birds nipping at and spoiling trees and shrubs there also.

and if she is in aussielandia.. she might look toward koala, kangaroo and dingos ... ken