What may have happened to your tree is the cambium layer split because of the freeze/thaw cycles that happens in late winter and/or spring here in the mountain regions. Some areas or 'pockets' are more susceptible than others. Like you, my area is in one of those 'pockets' that gets hit hard most years. When I first moved here, several people told me they had a dickens of a time with fruit trees and just gave up. I found info on the web about cold weather areas painting the trunk with LATEX paint mixed with equal part water. This helps moderate the sudden temperature changes within the outer layers of the bark that can cause it to split. UGLY! ..yes but it works. The paint goes away and may need to be redone in a couple of years or so. However, I've found that after a few years (down here in Enoch anyway) the cambium layer gets 'thick' enough to make it through the freeze/thaw cycles fine.... so far anyway.

Last year I forgot to paint the Stella I planted. This spring it leafed out fine, then started to wilt. At first I thought the beetles nestling in the split bark were the cause, but when I figured out what type of beetle they were, I knew they were just taking up refuge in a comfy new sunroom they found in the split bark. New Stella is in and if I can just get rid of the blasted slugs, I hope for fruit from it in a couple of years.

Crystal

Thanks for the info....I have about a half dozen other young fruit trees planted (apple, peach, pie cherry, and plum), but only the cherry seems affected. Bummer. Will give it one last try this fall and if it fails again, I'll beg cherries from the neighbor!! The pie cherry is having no problem at all-go figure. I have a dozen fruit trees in my mini orchard and they are doing fine. The bark hasn't split, it is still intact, just seperated from the next layer completely around the trunk and some of the limbs. Think I'll plant the apple tree in that area. Need shade for the chickens.

This is very interesting to read about. I hadn't heard of such a problem, and I hope Crystal is right about what's causing it. I wonder, Crystal, would it also be useful to have some kind of tight wrap around the trunk during the winter/spring? Something that could be removed at the end of spring to allow the trunk to get thicker and grow but could be put back on the next winter?

I wonder if sun scald could be part of the reason here, too? I know many trees with sensitive bark are painted white when young to protect the bark from sun scald, especially during the winter. Perhaps it's a combination of sun damage and your late freezes that's doing these trees in. If people have found the latex paint helps, I think you should try again with new trees and some paint! Having your own cherries sure is worth it. Just harvested mine last week.

I just found the link below about sunscald and frost cracking. It might help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sunscald and frost cracking info from Montana State Univ.

Great link on the subject, stevation. My post was certainly incomplete. I should never try to do things in a rush, but seem to always be short of time these days.

As the article states, sun scald can be the culprit too. In our yard we had more snow stay on the ground last winter than we've had for some time... more like normal. Of course, snow has extremely strong reflective qualities. That most likely, at the least, added to the cause for the demise of my last years' Stella. Had I read the article you linked to, I probably still would have painted (had I remembered to do so).... wrapped trunk with burlap first and then painted the burlap white so it could be removed after the temps stabilized, and reused it next winter without looking at the white paint all year. Oh, well. at least I wont have to remember to put it on!

The wrap doesn't need to be 'tight' as long as there is a way to keep it over the trunk and reflecting light away from direct contact. It isn't meant to keep the trees actual temperature heat in, or the cold out. In this case, too long of a period of light equals heat. Think of a magnifying glass... The goal is to keep sun/snow from shining onto the bark... to deflect the added 'heat' away and prevent prolonged temperature shifts. A rise in temperature, if it lasts too long, causes part of the tree, usually just a non-reflective strip of the bark that is absorbing the light-heat, to begin to wake up after the winter snooze.. 'thinking' it is spring. The cells plump with moisture along this strip to begin the process of spring growth. Winter continues... sometimes with a vengeance especially in the mountainous regions. And with a drop in temperatures back down to 'winter normal', the tree doesn't have time to drop the moisture level ('sap') down. The moisture laden part freezes and because ice takes up more space than does water, the expanding cells causes a split in the outer layer, which has been weakened.

I have also used the purchased plastic wrap-around 'split tube' that has little air holes formed in them, that are made to protect fragile young bark. Couldn't fine any of them last year when I planted Stella, so didn't use anything (I forgot to paint before winter... the tree was doing so well).

pawsitive, they won't all split. I think some are just more prone to it. Maybe so much trouble with cherry is caused by a thinner, darker and more absorptive bark. Dark colors absorb light more readily. It is possible that a (possibly unseen to the naked eye) color difference in even the same cultivar, may make a difference in how light/heat is reflected/refracted? Where snow is or isn't and how it falls in the reflective field probably makes a difference. Old winter dormant grass will more likely absorb and thus not cause sunburn.. bright crystals of snow reflect and can cause blisters.

Our Surefire Cherry tree is the latest blooming fruit-crop tree to bloom every year. We can't wait for our first taste of fresh-off-the-tree fruit... coming soon!

Hope I've not rambled too much. I'm late! Got to get the birds fed!

Crystal

Crystal,

Very good explanation! I hope Pawsitive benefits from it. I was thinking of a tight wrap, because I was wondering if it would keep the bark from splitting by applying pressure. But I suppose if the splitting is caused by sun/warmth/freezing cycles, it's probably not possible to hold it together no matter how tight the wrap.

Anyway, I think you've cleared it up, and Pawsitive -- I would try again with Crystal's advice!