Dying crab apple tree

I have a 25 year old crab apple tree Red Jade, a beautiful weeping form, which has always been healthy. This spring, several branches did not develop new leaves and when I checked, they were dead wood. I cut all the dead wood out and the tree seemed ok but to my horror this last couple of weeks, about half of the leaves have turned brown. It is hard to see but it looks as if more branches have died. The rest has healthy leaves and fruit as usual. Coild it be the result of the very dry weather in the spring? I have been gradually planting under it to create a damp shady area on my heavy clay soil. Up to last year it only had vinca minor under it. A Clematis Perle d'Azure that normally grows up it and flowers all over it during June has died right back but I put this down to snails which are in abundance this year. Does anyone know of other similar trees that are dying or is it my fault for overtaxing its roots? By the way, the suckers that it regularly throws up look fine! Annoying!

Re: Dying crab apple tree

Reply from ELAINE HUTSON

Crab apples are susceptible to all the diseases that plague the rose family and it does belong to the rose family. It is also 25 years old, maybe it has come to the end of its life cycle, small trees don't live as long. Keep on trimming the branches, give it one more year and see if it does any better, otherwise you have an opportunity to plant a different type of tree.

Re: Re: Dying crab apple tree

Reply from Jill M

Thank you. That is what I was afraid of but as you say, opportunity knocks!