Leaves dying on individual branches this year

[HareBrain]

I've noticed in the last month or so quite a few wild trees of several species, including beech, where the tree looks mostly healthy but one or two branches, often near the top, have leaves that have all turned brown and crisp but haven't fallen. The look is such a contrast, and so distinctive, that I'm sure I would have noticed it in previous years if this were a normal occurrence. Anyone any idea what's causing this? (I can only find gardening advice with Google.)

As I said, several species so not ash dieback. I've not seen it so much round here (coastal Sussex) but noticeable in Surrey, on a recent journey to Shropshire, and along the railway to London.

 

[Montero]

Short on water?
Shallower roots?

There is a phenomenon known as "stag headednesses" where upper branches can die back.

 

[HareBrain]

I wouldn't have thought short on water this year, as spring was very wet. And it's not always the upper branches that are affected.

I forgot to say, sometimes it is a whole tree, though seemingly only small ones.

 

[hitmouse]

If it is an ash tree then ash dieback is the reason ( in Europe and the UK).

 

[HareBrain]

If it is an ash tree then ash dieback is the reason ( in Europe and the UK).

As I said above, it's other species such as beech. And it looks completely different.

I wonder if the wet spring maybe caused in increase in some fungal diseases.

 

[Robert Zwilling]

I noticed dry leaves on small branches about a month ago on a maple tree in my yard. On two small branches out on the end of a main branch the leaves turned brown. They were right outside an upper floor window otherwise I doubt I would have noticed them. Its looks strange with everything else around them green. Eventually the leaves fell off and I didn't see any more on that tree. I saw only a few more instances of that happening on other trees. It was pretty hot then, I thought maybe they had dried out.

 

[Pyan]

Drought conditions on a clay soil will cause this on a beech - but I would have thought that there's been ample water around this year.

 

[Robert Zwilling]

In southern New England, it was a very wet cold spring which made everything grow good. For the early summer, it was very humid and hot so it seemed like there was plenty of moisture but the ground slowly dried out from underneath. The high humidity coupled with rain that kept the surface wet but not deep, made it seem like there was enough moisture but sensitive plants died out and the grass didn't grow during one very hot period when it didn't rain. We are getting just enough rain to keep the surface wet but its dry underneath. The ground never got dusty this year which does happen in dryer summers. Other locations not that far away are getting too much rain all at once.

 

[THX1138]

The trees could also be getting old, and the limbs furthest away from the main trunk and root system tend to be the first to go. If it spreads out a little bit more next spring, that's what is going on. Some species of trees die off slowly while others cane go faster. Pealing and falling bark is the telling sign.