Is there an arborist in the house?

[bhsup]

Back a couple of weeks ago, this section of the country experienced a cold snap. It was pretty cold for this time of year and set some records. It culminated in a mid-April snowfall.

My bradford pears, while looking pretty sickly, are at least trying to recover. Many of its leaves are bouncing back and filling out. Unfortunately, a white ash and a couple of magnolia bushes are not faring so well. Their leaves are all well and truly dead and I've seen no new growth. This cold snap occured after flowering on all of the trees.

Now, my question is, will the ash and magnolias simply revert back to a hibernation status and come out again next April as if nothing is wrong, or are they doomed?

 

[Atlas14]

Probably doomed depending on how much of the tree the cold affected. It happens to the best of us, and trees.

 

[bhsup]

Shoot. The magnolias I just put in last year, so that's not terribly depressing. The Ash, though, that poor thing has been going strong and filling out nicely for its 15 years of life.

 

[White Elk]

I wouldnt give up on them yet. Especially the well established Ash. A couple a weeks isn't much time as relates to the seasonal growth of a tree. Give it some time. Many Trees have some protection from spring freeze etc. The new growth and buds may all die, but the secondary buds should eventually begin to grow. These secondary buds usually grow into small branchs when the primaries remain healthy. If the primary die then the secondary take over. At least thats how I understand it. But I am no arborist, and its been decades since my Botany class. google around and I'm sure you'll find some local advice.

 

[bhsup]

Hrm, so not necessarily dead yet. Thanks, I at least can refine my searches a bit better now with references to secondary budding.