What Causes Iron Chlorosis in Your Trees
Iron chlorosis cause tree and plant leaves to turn yellow
because of an iron deficiency that affects many desirable landscape plants and
trees in some areas of the county. The main symptom for iron deficiency is interveinal
chlorosis, which is the production of yellow leaves with dark green veins. In the
most severe cases, the entire leaf will turns yellow (or white). The outer
edges can appear scorched and turn brown. It is very common for an entire
branch or half of the tree to be chlorotic while the rest of the tree looks
normal. In some areas vegetation from the entire landscape may be affected,
while in others only the most susceptible plants show deficiency symptoms.
What Causes It?
The causes of iron chlorosis iscomplex and not understood
fully. Numerous reactions oversee iron availability and cause the iron
chemistry in soil to be very complex. Iron chlorosis regularly happens when the
soil is alkaline, which means a pH greater than 7.0 and containing lime. The
high pH in the soil causes a chemical reaction that makes the iron solid and therefore
it is not available to plant roots. This iron is indefinitely unavailable unless
the soil conditions change, which is why iron shavings do not correct an iron deficiency.
- Iron deficiency and chlorosis is provoked by soil
- temperatures that are cool and when air movement is restricted as with plastic
- sheet mulching, water-saturated conditions, and compaction. If the topsoil has been removed and the lime
- enriched subsoil is exposed, severe chlorosis can occur.
Plants and trees native to alkaline soils generally won’t
suffer from iron chlorosis, because they usually are very efficient in using
iron. Unfortunately non-native plants and trees are not able to respond the
same way. Plants grown in alkaline soils might show iron chlorosis and they can
also develop chlorosis because other minerals, especially manganese, aren’t
readily available.