Trees & Drought

A tree is being watered during a drought using a soaker hose

Drought is defined by a relatively long duration with substantially below-normal precipitation, usually occurring over a large area, and Texas is no stranger to drought.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, during the 2011 drought more than 80% of Texas experienced exceptional drought conditions. This drought killed an estimated 300 million trees, 5.6 million being urban shade trees.

More recently, during the 2022 drought more than 70% of the state experienced drought conditions identified as extreme or exceptional. Knowing how to properly care for trees, both during and after a drought is crucial for their long-term survival.

During a drought 

  • Don’t apply high-salt, quick-release fertilizers  
  • Dig under the canopy of a tree 
  • Prune live branches off young trees 

During a drought, the lack of water causes trees to photosynthesize less, or make less food, which leads to a lack of nutrients needed to survive.  

Plants generate their own food through photosynthesis and one of the key components of photosynthesis is water. Water is necessary for the chemical reactions that create sugars, to help move the needed materials around in the tree, and to utilize those materials. 

When this happens, trees will start to show physical symptoms of the lack of nutrients. While these symptoms can vary from species to species, most trees will begin to show signs of water stress through their leaves.  

Things to look for are leaves dropping or wilting, small or malformed leaves, yellowing of the leaves, and browning tips of the leaves. Some species, like junipers, may totally brown out, losing all of their leaves. 

Just because leaves begin to fall, does not mean the tree is dead though. For small trees, you can simply use your thumb nail and scrape some of the smaller twigs – if there is still green underneath, then the tree is not dead. Within a few weeks, it may leaf back out. If you are concerned your tree is dead, contact a certified arborist for a professional opinion. 

Only mid-way through June and Texas has already seen extreme heat and very little rain this summer, with the trend predicted to continue.
Drought and trees explained
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