Burlapped ‘Allee’ Elm – Recovery

Q: We bought a healthy looking balled and burlapped ‘Allee’ Elm from a tree farm. After about two days in the ground the leaves started to wrinkle and turn brown. Do you think it will recover by next spring?

A: I’m confident the tree will recover. Buying from a tree farm insured that it had a healthy root system, although many were inevitably lost when the tree was dug. New roots will regenerate during the winter. The lost leaves are just your tree showing that it’s a bit shocked to be moved.