I have a lauder walking stick tree that seems to be under stress.
Walking stick tree dying.
Please see attached picture we ve pruned off the dead branches but it seems more and more are dying.
Periodically the leaves on a branch turn brown and the branch it s on becomes brittle.
This species is sometimes called hercules club prickly ash or prickly elder common names it shares.
We d very much like to save it if we can.
The other ornamental feature about the trees are the male catkins.
The trunks of twisted hazelnut trees contorted filbert trees grow to 10 or 15 feet 3 4 5 m tall and are so twisted that gardeners give the tree the nickname harry lauder s walking stick the branches are also uniquely curled and twisted.
Some harry lauder s walking stick plants corylus avellana contorta are being attacked and are dying slowly.
This doesn t seem to be a widespread problem but it is happening.
Trim the lower parts of the walking stick tree to remove excess growth and expose the twisted branches in the main part of the plant.
This tree is slow growing so don t cut too much especially.