Close up

thats not a cherry hanging from it..

it looks more like a purple crabapple ...

or maybe a plum...

wait.. suckers.. crabapple ... lol ...

were these upright... when you posted them ...

you prune them.. as i mentioned in your other post ... ANY WAY YOU WANT .... with proper cuts ...

should be a great flower show in a week or so .... or did we miss that ?????

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Flowering crabapple. Probably very little need for pruning at this point.

suckers need to be removed ...

they are probably not the foo foo tree above.. i bet green leaved.. and not the purple ...

in other words.. its a grafted tree ... and the understock is throwing up shoots .... an inherent problem with crabs ....

ken

Thanks all! Darn, I was really hoping for cherries...although the pictures of the crab apples in bloom are gorgeous. Can't wait until it happens. Now to find a way to prune it from overhanging the driveway without making them look lopsided.

On a semi-related note, both trees are leaning, one more than the other. Nt sure what causes this..if they were planted crooked or something else. Is there a way to remedy this? Should we even bother?

Thanks again!

forget about the lean.. improper planting ...

if you want ideas on how to prune .... then we need a closer pic of the tree ...

when young.. it could have been easily trained.. to a higher level.. i fear... that you might not be able to accomplish such.. though i cant focus deep enough into the picture to tell ...

these things are a dime a dozen .... replaceable for around $20 or so ..

here is your mind set ... enjoy it for a year or two [or less!!!].. learn about it.. hack on it.. try to get it into some preferable shape.. and if it doesnt work out.. GET RID OF IT .... and plant your own mistakes.. lol ...

it was improperly planted.. improperly sited.. and most likely.. improperly cared for ..

when i moved into my first home.. i spent 5 years trying to save every nightmare the prior owners left.. and then the day i got rid of the last one.. was the happiest day of my life at that house..

there is no reason to live with a problem...

ken

ps: and then you have a reason to get the cherry you want.. and plant it far enough form the driveway.. that it wont be a problem ... BTW ... there are flowering cherry that never have fruit.. and the fruit tree ... so if you want fruit.. i suggest you find the FRUIT forum.. and ask them.. which is best for your area ...

Bushy, irregular growth comes with the territory when you are growing crabs - the point of the decorative kinds is a mass display of flowers (and maybe fruits as well) - the common brutal topping and thinning of these is completely counterproductive.