Champaca/Michelia...Please Help!

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RBLick Longboat Key, FL(Zone 10a) Oct 13, 2016

Hello there:

I live on an island off of Florida on the Gulf side--zone 10. About 3 years ago, I planted a rather large champaca/michelia in my yard that was @12 ft tall, and is now 15ft tall. I live very close to the ocean, and during a storm just over a month ago, the sea level rose and the champaca was under water for approximately 3 hours. Close to half the leaves have fallen off the tree, and the leaves that remain are still quite green, yet they are wilted and hanging straight down. There has been plenty of rain since that time, but yet the tree does not seem to be improving. Might you have a kind suggestion as to how I may revive this champaca?

Thank you for taking the time to read through this!

(PS--I'm not sure why the photo posts sideways; sorry)

This message was edited Oct 13, 2016 7:02 AM

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RBLick Longboat Key, FL(Zone 10a) Oct 16, 2016

Anyone...? Tough crowd!

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Kell San Leandro, CA(Zone 9b) Oct 16, 2016

Sometimes when the leaves are wilted it is due to over watering which rot the roots. If it were smaller, I would tell you to cut the dead roots off, trim the top of the tree in proportion to the roots lost and replant it in new, fast draining soil. But as it is a tree, that would be impossible. I would only water when the soil it dry a ways down and then water a lot to see if you can flush out the salt. If it was submerged in sea water, the salt could be toxic to the tree. Sadly, I think you may lose this great tree.

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