Drought damage: Which trees will survive? Last year's drought
left many of Missouri's trees and shrubs in trouble. As spring
arrives, we'll learn what survived and what did not. Trees can
be very resilient and may surprise you, said Tim Baker,
horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension.
However, it's still too early to tell which trees succumbed to
2012 drought and extreme heat. "Our trees were certainly showing
major stress during the heat and drought, but they weren't
necessarily dying," Baker said. "Even if a tree had completely
defoliated, give it a chance and see what happens when
everything starts leafing out." As warmer weather settles in, it
will soon be time to closely examine your trees and evaluate the
damage. "For deciduous trees, if everyone else's oak trees leaf
out, and your oak tree does not, then most likely your tree
won't recover," Baker said. "Just give it a chance to see what
happens." Another method to evaluate the health of a deciduous
tree is to look at the young tips