Can A Dead Neem Tree Regrow?

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by SGBV, Jan 28, 2020.

  1. SGBV

    SGBV IL Hall of Fame

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    Any botanist here in this forum?

    5 years back, I planted a neem tree (veppa maram) at my home. It has grown big, and started giving a lot of shade to our garden.
    Last month we had heavy flooding, that affected our garden area too. The flood water retained there for 3-4 days, and after which the neem tree started dying. It sheds all its leaves, and currently it stays empty. Looks as if it has already died.

    I dont think the flooding has got anything to do with its death. Because the flood has affected the entire town, but I see a lot of neem trees along with many other trees in our surrounding.
    And this one is not a small plant, but a grown up big tree!

    Perhaps, some mistakes of the gardener or whatever. I am not here to judge anyone.

    But my maid keeps saying it is inauspicious if a neem tree dies. Come on.. I never killed it, it died on its own.
    Beside, she says it is very bad for the family to keep the dead tree in the garden.

    Well, we all have brushed off her comments as they seems superstitions. But, my question is whether I could expect this almost dead neem tree to grow back?
    Because internet says neem trees won't die that quickly, and they may re-grow.
    I don't wanna cut or dispose the tree, as I wish and hope it regrows.
    Yet, these superstitious comments from maid, gardener and others disturbs me.
     
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  2. DDream

    DDream Finest Post Winner

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    I am not a botanist & I don't believe in superstitions. Neem tree is like any other tree on this planet, it has its own life cycle. Dont worry too much about others comments. Can you check if the bark is green. If the bark and roots are alive, it will come back (my experience with plants in my home. My curry leaves plant died by fall time and it came back in spring, but I made sure the soil is not too dry.). If there is a lot of water now, it can die (as the roots wont be able to breath), so proper drainage is needed for any plants to survive. If its dry, give some water and wait for a few months to see if it recover. If it doesn't not come back within six months, you can consider to dispose it, I think .
     
  3. Raffaello

    Raffaello Silver IL'ite

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    I think it's for the vazha maram, they have this superstitious ones, not with neem tree I suppose. If its still deep rooted with some greenery left in it it will grow back.. Don't worry at all.. This one will add one more pill to the existing stress. So religiously water it for a month or 2 wait and see.. Else it will get dried off and it would be time to let it go..
    Surely this tree won't bring any bad luck or inauspicious events happen in the house..
     
  4. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    In the adjacent vacant plot there was a huge tree and also smaller ones. We at home see watching it grow for many years. In 2005 there was cloudburst and in the resulting deluge we got marooned in our single storey building for almost three days. The huge neem tree with stood storm and deluge but like denude forest it lost all its leaves and dried up. With it some other plants in our garden too dried up. Experts opined the soil or subsoil got spoiled. Our well water too spoiled. But over time it became clear crystal. The neem tree and it’s small ones under it all regrew and attained past glory.
    After the deluge, the annual monsoon was normal in successive years and with ground water table stands recharged and clear, it looks soil or subsoil enriched automatically with nutrients.

    Watering on regular basis withered plants have come again alive . We got back our lemon, mango, custard apple . However the flower plants refused to be grown here. Tulsi grows upto some height and then withers.

    I therefore suggest to ignore superstitious comments.
    Best wishes.
    Thanks and Regards.
    God - how trees too have become divine?
     
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  5. KashmirFlower

    KashmirFlower IL Hall of Fame

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    wait till march, which is season for new leaves and flowers to bloom for neem tree.
     
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  6. abcd5

    abcd5 Silver IL'ite

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    Lightning strick?
    We had Neem tree in our Jaffna home and leaves completely falls in rainy months between Oct to December period and leaves and flowers come back between march to May period. I know you live close to colombo and South-west monsoon and north-east monsoon comes in different months but still you can still wait and see.
     
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  7. SGBV

    SGBV IL Hall of Fame

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    I am glad that my neem tree may have a second chance in life. I have become emotionally connected with this tree over these years, because that was the only tree i planted in my garden.
    That's why disposing it altogether was heartbreaking.
     
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  8. yellowmango

    yellowmango IL Hall of Fame

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    Trees don't bring bad luck.

    How are the other neem trees around your area doing? Are they in similar state?


    Make sure the soil has good drainage .
    If any branches have dried up and died, you can cut those and wait for new growth .
     
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  9. SGBV

    SGBV IL Hall of Fame

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    I also don't think trees could bring bad luck & I don't mind those things much.
    But these maids and gardeners keep insisting that we should cut & dispose dead trees as they are not good to keep in the garden (again superstition). But I want to wait, as I hope there may be at least 1% chance that my neem tree will re-grow.

    The other neem trees in the surrounding area, and other trees in our garden are doing well. The water went away after 3-4 days, and the place is completely dried since last 1 month.
    Just that, this particular neem tree is dried, shed all its leaves, and looked dead. Strange though!

    But I read in the internet that some trees can re-grow all over again, though they look completely dead. That's why I am hoping!

    But I am OK to cut it and dispose it, if everyone feels it is bad to keep a dead tree infront of our house; hence raised this question here.
     
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  10. SGBV

    SGBV IL Hall of Fame

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    Ya, lightening strike could be a good reason. But I don't remember any serious lightening attack recently. Should check with my mom and the maid as they were home all the time.
    I hope and pray that my neem tree stay alive; hence will wait for another 1-2 months to see
     
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