Im in zone 5b and from reading had thought it to be impossible for apple trees to get outright killed from winter lows here. (NY/MA/VT border area). Last fall I moved a few of the 2nd year grafts from my nursery into an old pasture with all of my larger trees. This Xuanina on bud 9 is the only one that looks to have any issues.
We hit maybe -10,-11 this january and it was more of a real winter than weve had in the past 5 years I’d say. All winter tree looked fine, branches alive etc… Initially only the top 2-3 buds on each branch looked dead but the buds never swelled or broke it appears and it started dying from the tips. All buds are brown and the cambium only scratches green on the main trunk for 1.5 ft. A sucker appeared 2 weeks ago so I guess its officially dead in my eyes.
I had a few young apple trees lose 2-6 inches of tip wood that only died after spring started but other than that are fine. This is the only tree I lost at all this year although 99% of peach and necatarine flower buds froze off. Does this seem like a cold weather fatality or something else going on here?
It is a Spanish apple so maybe not up to the cold weather but an apple is an apple I thought. I might try to get some new scionwood and make another one but not if it can’t survive here.
Heres the tree as of a week ago-
Cambium is still green down low. I wasnt touching it in case something leafed out. I am worried something might be traveling down the tree disease wise so I will probably cut it just below the graft union.
