Hopefully, my experience with Summer Wine was rare, but I mention it because of your damp spot comment. I removed a Summer WIne this year after it got fungus really really bad. The prior year or two, it had a handful of oddball looking leaves, but this year (after a super wet spring), it turned incredibly white with fungus. And the soil and area is average normal soil, nothing extreme. I removed it to protect two other Summer Wine's on the property. I consider my experience rare and as I said I am only bringing it up because of your wet conditions. The risk is there for problems. I would stick with something that absolutely likes wet conditions to increase your chances of success. removing failing plants is no fun.

I still have (3) fairly viable Flowering Almond Shrubs. I've always loved the spring bloom, and the shrub usually doesn't look too bad the rest of the year either. Two years ago, after 5 years or so of growth and flowering, I began to experience wilting on my shrubs right after blooming. At first, it wasn't too bad, but as the years have gone by, the effect is becoming worse and worse. I did some googling, and it appears that there is a fungal disease that is common to these shrubs that is commonly called "brown-off". What I found in prior years directed me to prune off the affected branches (to avoid infection of healthy branches) and to let the plants rejuvenate over the summer, which they did. But, as I said, each year my plants would look worse. This year, I found that this disease actually enters the shrubs via the blooms (which makes a lot of sense). Anyway, I've trimmed them back again, (thankfully, I do have some healthy growth and foliage) ... and I've given them a dose of Bayer's All-in-One Rose systemic treatment. Next year, I'm going to try and remember to give my plants a fungal treatment in the weeks BEFORE they bloom. Hopefully, this might stave off the infection.

I'd guess looking at your ground alkali/salt soil. Also would be nice to know the drainage rate of the hole you planted into. I would have mixed about 50:50 soil:finished compost to plant the tree. Nice blooms though. Hopefully you dug out any compacted soil to a 4 foot radius and straitened the roots out. Paint exposed trunk and main branches white with 50 to 100% latex--water based. Get rid of that hideous rock mulch around the tree out to 4 feet. Normally I'd say 4" thick of wood chip mulch but in your case, make it finished compost. It can works its way in slowly. This will keep roots moist, cool and eventually fertilized. Should reduce the heat reflected off the ground considerably too. Get a watering well out to at least the canopy line and heavy water infrequently. It is possible it reflects a copper deficiency but I doubt it. Here is a link that might be useful: Water by the Numbers This post was edited by Fascist_Nation on Wed, Aug 7, 13 at 1:45

I have a flowering almond tree I've had for years. It seems to spread a bit by suckers. I've dug them up and given them away. I love the flowers, but I really am starting to think it isn't worth the eyesore imediately following flowering. By the end of the season the foliage starts to look decent again, but as you've said, it looks tattered and withered and brown. I seriously am thinking of taking it out. Oldroser, the flowers are beautiful light pink frilly pom poms that completely cover the branches in spring. They are very double and quite soft and lovely. Afterward, you would swear there is something wrong with your tree (shrub). I'll try to post a picture in the gallery portion of the test forum if I have one. I have to figure out how to get it to 60 KB without losing too much in size. If there is anything to do about it, I don't know of it. Maybe someone here can make a suggestion, or knows of a solution.