Amalanchier Tree

[jamesnan]

I have had this tree in my garden for about 20 years now, but this year it is looking extremely sorry for itself, there are hardly any leaves on it, had no blossom when it should have had and just does not look right.
Should I leave it for this year and see what happens next year, or actually prune some of the branches off to give it a bit of a shock, and see if that helps.

[woofgang]

I would make sure that it gets plenty of water this year and leave it alone. If it doesn't shoot then the whole thing will need removing, if it recovers then you can cut off any dead bits. My amelanchier was touch and go last year but this year its looking very robust again. Two things you can do to see which bit are alive. the first is to scratch through the bark in tiny areas and see if its green under the bark, rhe scond is to go out into the garden late at night or early (very) in the morning abd hold the branches. Live branches will be cold because of the sap and dead branches will be warm.

[sandyRoe]

Have you seen this?

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=116

[Chipchopper]

I would think 20 years is at the top-end of your trees life expectancy and you have done well to keep it in good health up until now.

Older trees can often be rejuvenated by by cutting back hard, in fact some of the oldest trees have prolonged life due to regular pollarding.
I would recommend pruning from November to late February, you may sacrifice next springs flowers by doing this buy hey it's done well and I hope it's make rather than break!

I have to young trees, ones too young yet to flower and the other had set fruit but unfortunately it all dried up on the branches due to the heat wave ;-(

Good luck - Chip.

[jamesnan]

Thank you all for the answers, I will keep it well watered, and hope that it endures the drought we are having at the moment, and then probably give it a prune at the suggested time to see if it survives the next winter. Hopefully we may get some blossom next year, and I know the birds have missed the berries as well. I would miss it if it has to come out, but do realise that it has grown very well over the past years, and has given me a lot of pleasure to look at.