Question
I have a twenty year old althea tree that I planted as a young   shrub. It now stands over twelve feet high. It has suddenly started dying. It was in full bloom and still a sparse blooms but the branches are dying from the bottom up. I have looked and can see no insects on the tree although there have been white flies on nearby plants. We are in an area of Texas that has had lots of rain almost daily for the past month, although this is located in a high part of the yard. I'm hoping I can save it.

Answer
Deb,

I would have to say that the culprits are the white flies, but, I would ask that you check the leaves for leaf spot or a disease called rust. Leaf spot causes brown or black spots on the leaves, while rust turns the leaves a reddish color. Both of these diseases thrive in rainy conditions.

I would recommend treating the plant with an insecticide that is labeled for white flies and fertilizer to encourage new growth.

Good luck,
Ed Gulliksen