Your tree looks like a sweet cherry to me. If you actually see apples on the tree then it is an apple. The leaves and spurs look more like cherry but my eyes and the picture may be off.

No you don't need to kill the tree. You might trim out the dead parts. It may well bear several years while you get new trees started, if you are so inclined.

From a distance the top the top tree almost looks like an almond. The closeup looks like a cherry.

it's definitely apple. we moved in in November last year and there were apples all over the ground.

Looks like borers girdled the branch on the left, and probably just made it around the branch where the leaves are curling. Scrape under the bark of the dead branch and see if you see tunnels and sawdust.

Applenut

There may have been apples on the ground, but they didn't come from that tree. I'm with FN, everything about that tree screams cherry. Leaf shape, bark color/texture, branch habit, spurs, the whole nine yards. It's even dying just like a sweet cherry. Are there maybe two trunks coming out of the ground there?

Yes it's cherry, the apple could be the dead trunk to the left, just cut
that one down including other dead branches you see.

It's a cherry. Can't help with what's wrong with it though. It looks very dry there. Also what's in the tank? Any connection do you think?

it's a propane tank.
and yes, it is very dry, but we have a lot of water underground.
the tree looks a lot like the one behind it that has apples on it. and the flowers looked the same. i'm confused of why everyone thinks its a cherry.

The leaves look like sweet cherry leaves.

Looks like it may need some water.

Compare the leaves of the cherry with the tree "behind it that has apples on it" and you will see the difference between a cherry leaf and an apple leaf.
I seriously doubt your propane tank has anything to do with it. And even if you have a lot of water underground, the roots of your fruit trees run surprisingly shallow.

I would clear out all dead wood. Clear away all other vegetation from around the cherry and apple, that may be competing for water. Mulch and water them both. Give it another year and see what happens.

So many fruit trees that have been neglected will eventually kill themselves. Sometimes a little TLC can bring them back.

Good luck.

"i'm confused of why everyone thinks its a cherry."

1) The leaves are larger and longer than apple tree leaves and shaped slightly differently.
2) The buds forming for next years blossoms are prominently displayed at growing tips (among other places) and are larger and much more conspicuous than on apples. And lighter colored.
3) The trunk has horizontal streaking and a texture that is consistent with cherry trees. Although I can't see it very clearly in the picture, it has the "look" of cherry bark even at a distance.
4)The way the lower branches droop down and curve back to horizontal.
5) The way that smaller branches take off at 90 degrees from the larger branches.
6) The presence of rosettes of leaves with flower buds in the center.

The people above have years and years of experience looking at fruit trees. Trust us... that's a cherry tree.

I think the large tree beyond the fence...neighbor's property? ..is sucking
most of the water up and that's why the cherry is suffering.
So it looks like with your dry condition there is not enough water to go
around, give it water and see what happens.

The old saying "if it swims and looks like a duck, AND it quacks, it IS a duck" applies here. As one who lives in your part of the country, yes it is supposed to be dry. It looks like your tree is growing very close to a redwood tree, which will have roots close to the surface up to 100 feet from the tree. The redwood would not be growing there if the soil water was not close to the surface, thats the good part, the bad part is the redwood is also very good at extracting the water from the soil. The tree is where it is and if you want cherries, prune the tree when dormant to remove dead wood and open up the canopy to get what sun that gets through the redwood. For most of northern California cherries are a hit and miss crop and you may also have some pollinizer problems. Your propane tank is not a problem UNLESS you have a leak underground, which you would know about by the size of your bill. Enjoy your new property. Al