IF you think the colour city of Orange is taking a bit longer than usual to live up to its reputation, you’re probably right, with the city’s beautiful trees taking a lot longer to burst into an abundance of leaves and blossoms than normal.

With the traditional spring month of September now nothing but a distant memory, it seems while Orange residents have turned over their calendars to October somebody forgot to tell our street trees to do the same.

Several trees throughout Orange are yet to even show any signs of waking from their winter slumber in a worrying sign for Orange City Council.

A recent report presented to councillors found nearly 100 established street trees in Orange were at risk of dying this summer thanks to the prolonged drought.

Trees most at risk included claret ashes, where many in Adina Crescent were identified as likely to die in the next 12 months.

And it seems that prediction was fairly accurate, with several trees in the street stubbornly refusing to burst into life.

According to former horticultural expert turned Orange councillor Neil Jones, temperature fluctuations and a lack of rain over many years would have certainly had an impact.

“I can’t explain it, I thought some trees in Orange had blossomed early this year but if street trees aren’t showing signs of leaves than perhaps the drought had claimed some victims,” he said.