Question
We live in central AZ high desert and planted 2 chitalpa trees 2 summers ago. One never leafed out this spring! We think it may have gotten over watered last summer. The leaves were kinda yellow. The branches are still pliable. Is there a chance it is still alive and rigor mortis just hasn't set in yet? Didn't know whether to remove it or leave it, in hopes it still has a chance at life.

                 Thanks! Donna

Answer
If you take you finger nail or a small knife and scrape a small bit of the bark off a branch and it is green under the bark at that point on the branch the tree is still alive. IF you find brown or not green then the branch at that point is dead. If you find brown go lower down on the branch until you find green--if no green is found then the tree is dead. I would pune off any dead branches, fertilize, mulch and water.