Extension > Garden > Diagnose a problem > What's wrong with my plant? > Deciduous Trees > Kentucky coffeetree > Leaves and small twigs missing
Kentucky coffeetree > Leaves > Leaves and small twigs damaged and missing
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Deer feeding/antler rubbing
- Long lines of shredded or peeled off bark along main trunk up to 3 feet off the ground from antler rubbing; wood may appear shiny or "polished"
- Leaves and small branches (
- Feeding occurs from the ground up to 6 feet or slightly higher; ragged edges, same as above; if the bark is removed by a deer there will be no teeth marks
- More information on Problems with deer
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Rabbit feeding
- Bark from young trees only is completely removed from the main trunk
- Regular scraping the size of a spoon tip can be seen in the wood
- Small twigs are cleanly cut off with a sharp edge, at a 45 degree angle
- Damage can occur from ground level to several feet up the trunk depending on the depth of winter snow
- Majority of bark feeding occurs in winter and early spring
- Rabbit droppings (small, round pellets) are often found near the damaged shrubs
- More information on protecting trees and shrubs from animals
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Hail damage
- Oval shaped wounds ranging from ¼ inch to several inches long; appear as sunken "bruises" or open cracks in bark
- Area under bark of sunken wounds discolored dark brown
- All wounds appear on same side of tree and only on upper side of branches and twigs
- Older damage may have raised ridges of wound wood around a sunken center
- Heavy damage may break twigs, tatter and strip leaves
- More information on hail damage
