Tulip tree leaves curling

[Peter Euston]

Good morning everyone from central Victoria, Australia.
We have a well established Tulip Tree Liriodendron tulipifera that has flowered well but the leaves are curling up. See attached photos. This is the first year we have had any issues with it.
Our first thought was that it might be due to lack of water due to our very dry season currently. We have watered around the canopy line for several days with no improvement.
Uncle Google suggests that it is probably due to aphids or other small insect infestation but we have not been able to any signs of insects or disease.
Hopefully somebody might be able to point us in the right direction.
Many thanks.
Peter Euston.

 

[Chuck]

I think it is a lack of water. These trees need more water than most other trees do and if they ever get dry down deep in the soil this is what a lack of moisture looks like. I would water very slowly with a soaker hose from the trunk out to the drip line. I don't know the volume of water you have put down but if the soil is dry or almost dry down deep then it will take more water than one would think

 

[oneeye]

Dig down deep and around the base of the tree to feel the soil weekly. I use a fork and dig deep as I can to break up the soil. Breaking ground allows water to penetrate the ground better, plus exposes the soil to nitrogen in the air. You can tell if it needs water or if it doesn't by doing that. Its best to check your soil one or two times a week during the hot dry season.

Take a magifer and get a close look under the leaves for kind of insect eggs.

 

[cpp gardener]

It looks like you might have a couple of things going on.
There is some ‘puckering’ of leaves that does look like insect feeding damage, but it’s only minor. Those are the little bumps on the leaves.
The curling, on the other hand, could be wilting from dry soil but would resolve with a good soak. If it doesn’t, there’s something else going on. Have you or the neighbors used any weed killers recently? Some of the curling resembles 2,4-D damage. If it was only one application the tree will grow out of it later this Summer, but look weird until it does.

 

[Peter Euston]

Thankyou everyone for your input. Before my original post I let the hose run gently for about 48 hours.
Yesterday I forked the ground to a depth of about 35-40 cm and it didn't seem as dry as I'd expected and since then we have had 12 mm of rain.
The lemon tree is about 3.0 m away from the Tulip Tree and isn't showing any signs of distress.
I have had another search for insects/pests on the leaves and apart from some holes in the leaves I couldn't see any sign of pests.
We haven't sprayed weed killer anywhere near the tree and are not aware of the use of sprays by the neighbours.
I can only hope that the tree can recover from whatever it ailing it.

Would it be worth trying some sort of fertilizer or plant food?

My other thought is that perhaps some sort of aphid/pest spray might show some improvement.

Many thanks.
Peter.

 

[cpp gardener]

The cupping of the leaves looks VERY much like drift damage from Dicamba, which is an herbicide used for broadleaf weed control in lawns and some agricultural situations. It is fairly volatile and can drift for quite a distance from the application site. You may be able to have some leaves analyzed for exposure. It won’t usually kill a tree with one exposure, but multiple events over time can. Some plants are more sensitive to it, I’m not sure about Tuliptrees.