Problems with a Sycamore

[Florida23]

A customer of mine has a Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) that is starting to lose its leaves already, in the middle of june!

The tree was topped back about 2 years ago (not by me BTW) and it seemed like it was coming back ok, but now the leaves are starting to fall off of it pretty quickly.

The area around the tree is very compacted because of people parking cars under it, and the soil seems to be of poor quality, mostly sand.

The leaves that are dropping are new growth leaves, and the seem very soft to the touch, as opposed to being brittle and "crunchy" when they normally drop in the fall time.

I do not have pictures, but can get them if need be.

Any ideas on why they would be dropping so soon?

 

[ch woodchuck]

pictures would help.Sounds a lot like plane anthracnose disease.We have the same variety here in the west,with the same problem.The disease makes its appearance soon after the leaves have expanded, appearing in the form of small black spots which lie close to the veins. As a result, the half grown leaves turn brown, shrivel, and fall. It is very common in early July to see these trees putting forth their second crop of leaves while the first hang brown, dead, and unsightly on the ends of the branches. This greatly shortens the effective growing season for the plant.Check with your local ag. dept.for solutions.