Glossary term
What is Defoliation?
Short answer
Defoliation is the loss of leaves from a tree outside the normal fall drop, often caused by insects, disease or weather.
Defoliation, explained for tree service owners
Defoliation means a tree loses many of its leaves at a time when it should have them. Caterpillars, beetles, leaf diseases, late frost, hail and drought can all strip a crown. A healthy tree can often grow a second set of leaves, but doing so uses stored energy, and repeated years of defoliation can weaken it. For a tree service owner, summer defoliation is a common reason for calls, and homeowners may fear the tree is dead. Scratch a small twig: green tissue under the bark and new buds are signs the tree is alive. Then explain the cause, if you can identify it, and the choices, which may include waiting, watering, or a plant health treatment.
Related terms
- Crown
Crown is the upper part of a tree made of branches, twigs and leaves, growing from the trunk.
- Canker
A canker is a sunken, dead or swollen patch on bark, branch or trunk, often caused by a fungus or bacteria.
- Dieback
Dieback is the slow death of twigs and branches starting at the tips and moving back toward the trunk.
- Xylem and phloem
Xylem and phloem are the two tissue systems that move water up and sugars through a tree.
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