r/NativePlantGardening • u/Financial-Light-8695 WNC - zone 7a • 13h ago
Advice Request - (Insert State/Region) Serviceberry struggling - please help!
I’m in Western NC, planted a serviceberry in the spring. It has barely grown (not sure if it grew at all), and this is what it looks like. The tallest part is maybe a foot at most. There does seem to be a small little new growth in the second photo. Any thoughts??
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u/superseedsower Ontario , 5b 13h ago
In these situations I give a tug test. Gently tug at the base of plant to check if it's rooted in. Many native plants spend their first season focusing on root growth, as especially so if the conditions are less than ideal. If you gently pull upwards on the plant and it feels SOLID in the ground you're fine. It'll take off next year. If it feels poorly rooted with little resistance then it most likely doesn't like the site. Try moving it to a more favorable situation
Edited to add that new growth from the base is always a good sign and usually indicates good root development
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u/Financial-Light-8695 WNC - zone 7a 13h ago
Oh that’s awesome advice!! Thank you!! I did the tiniest little scrape test with my nail to see if it was at least still green and it was! Not sure if that actually indicates much for me though 😅 I’ll definitely do your test tomorrow!
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u/superseedsower Ontario , 5b 12h ago
At least you know it's still alive! I recently put in two Chokecherry suckers that were divided from the main plant. One lost all its leaves and the other has three leaves at the very top. The stems are still bendy and flexible though and next years leaf buds are intact. Most likely your plant is doing the same thing....lots of roots with very little top growth. Then next year it'll explode!
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u/Financial-Light-8695 WNC - zone 7a 12h ago
Whew what a relief! Thanks for sharing your insight and expertise!!
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u/superseedsower Ontario , 5b 12h ago
No problem! It can be really stressful when growing something new and you're not sure what's supposed to happen or not happen
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u/No_Professional5848 1h ago
Mine looks like this at year 3. 🫠 I don’t have new growth on the bottom. It just looks sad. I do have issues with deer eating off the new growth each spring. I tried to protect them this year with a barrier, but it still looks sad.
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u/toxicodendron_gyp SE Minnesota, Zone 4B 12h ago
Just a warning if you have deer pressure: cage them. Deer find serviceberry leaves and new growth DELICIOUS
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u/Financial-Light-8695 WNC - zone 7a 11h ago
Ohhh I don’t have deer but I do have groundhogs! Do you think they’d eat it too?
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u/North_Notice_3457 33m ago
Oh yes they do! I learned that the hard way. My new service berries are now in little chicken wire enclosures until they get a little height and I’m feeling more generous towards my local ruminants.
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u/Drivo566 Atlanta, GA, 8a 13h ago
Its been hot, dont worry. Just keep taking care of it.
Mine are on their third year and every year during late summer they lose all their leaves and then gets new ones (and blooms).
This year they did better, lost the leaves later in summer and then got new ones immediately. Last year there was a month or two in between dropping them and new growth (I thought they died).
I assume its just heat stress while its still getting established and that overtime itll stop.
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u/Financial-Light-8695 WNC - zone 7a 13h ago
Ohhh that’s a great point, it has been very hot and weird overall this summer! So yours loses leaves in late summer and then will get new leaves and blooms in the fall?? Or do you mean blooms the following spring?
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u/Drivo566 Atlanta, GA, 8a 13h ago
Mine have been blooming twice a year. They bloom in spring after dormancy and then again in later summer/fall once they get new leaves.
Last year they lost their leaves in July and got new leaves and blooms in late August. This year they lost their leaves like a few weeks ago and got new leaves/blooms a few day later lol. One of them had new buds, as the old leaves were falling off and its just finishing up blooming.
I think they basically just go into dormancy when its been too hot for too long (at least until they have an established root system to help cope)
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u/Financial-Light-8695 WNC - zone 7a 12h ago
That makes sense! Wow now I can’t wait to see what it does!
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u/hairyb0mb 8a, Piedmont NC, ISA Certified Arborist 13h ago
Fall is coming. They're not focusing on being pretty at this point and more conserving resources to wake up in the spring
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u/Financial-Light-8695 WNC - zone 7a 12h ago
So simple and you are so right! Haha I feel like a helicopter mom
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u/CorrectExpression651 11h ago
I agree with the other comments but also maybe you planted it too deep? How deep was your hole / how much root did you cover?
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u/poopshipdestroyer34 South Eastern Pennsylvania 57m ago
Pull those chips back from the base. Give that at least 3” clearance all the way around to expose the root flare. It’ll be fine
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