Hornbeam not in leaf?

Can anyone shed any light on this? I have a hornbeam which still hasn’t come into leaf as of 18th July. I’m in the UK, Midlands area. Yes we had a bad winter and a very dry spring, but I have done the scratch test and the tree is still green under the bark. The buds are still intact and apart from some of the braches twigs visibly drying and dying at the ends (these parts have been removed) the tree seems fine, just in a state of suspended animation. I also have an Oak which is acting exactly the same. I’ve had an Oak do this to me before but even that came into leaf by 8th July. Anyone any ideas????

Sounds like the roots have died to me. Trees can stay green for a season but root deatn will cause the tree to die from the bottom up.

Thanks Will. Guess there's nothing to be done but wait and see then. I was beginning to think this tree was having a year off and it's actually turned up it's toes. I should know better by now to protect them in the winter. The sub zero temperatures did last a month. With roots in a solid frozen soil for that long I even lost some Junipers.

Will may be right.

Have you dissected on of the buds? Are they green? If they are, perhaps you could at least start some cuttings.

Thanks for the advice Jim, I'll check that out.

If you suspect the roots, pull the tree from the pot and see. If it needs new soil, do it now and perhaps you can save it. If you dont, it doesnt matter.
I subscribe to the practice that there is an optimum time to repot, and there is a necessary time to repot. If it is necessary to save the tree, then you do it when it needs to be done.

Pull tree from pot get rid of the old soil. Check your drainage holes sounds like they were plugged to me. Set plant in shade and wait and see may come back hornbeams will take a lot of abuse.

Thanks guys, I'll give it a repot tonight and hopefully all will not be lost. The buds are still green inside so fingers crossed.

Hey, I have the same problem. But the buds arent green on the inside. And Im hoping it will bud out next year. I took my tree out of the pot, and some very small new white roots have started to grow from the trunk but all the other roots were brown. Hope your tree will be fine, its frustrating to just have to go around and wait for so long.

Dont give up hope yet out of 12 trees with same problem 2 tridents died,1 elm 1 oak and 1 artic beach but this month 5 hawthorns started growing. mist spray several times a day and dont let the soil get two wet cover with shade neting in full sun and hope for good luck
Paul

Unfortunately, the same happened to my beech, (fagus sylvatica).
I've loved that tree so much but I've lost it....
I wish that yours will survive and you'll see green leaflets coming soon!