By August, many Utah trees develop brown, crispy edges on their leaves – a condition called leaf scorch. It often looks alarming but is usually not a threat to the tree’s long-term health.

The main culprit is Utah’s low humidity and intense summer sun. By late summer, trees can’t always move water to their leaves fast enough, resulting in browning around the edges or in patches. Sometimes only certain branches are affected. If the tree looks normal the following spring and the browning only appears late in the season, it’s usually just seasonal heat scorch. Moderate leaf drop is also a common symptom. Trees drop leaves, especially from the inner canopy, to reduce water needs. Commonly affected trees include horse chestnut, maples, lindens, poplars, and aspens.

Not all scorch is harmless.

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