Dwarf weeping cherry tree totally bare

11 years ago

Help!

We've lived in our house for six years and for the first time, our dwarf weeping cherry isn't covered in blooms and burgeoning with beauty.

Here's what it looked like on April 6, 2013.

Here's what it looked like just this past October 2014.

Aaaand today it's completely bare, buds fall off when you brush them, most of the branches snap clean off and are brown inside and there's little sign of growth above the old graft line (which tells me the roots are still healthy).

Here's the trunk, which has always had these weird knobs on them.

Here are some of the branches from underneath. A few of the branches have super weird red tailings hanging from them, like something has been boring in the wood.

Here's another branch with more of the tailings.

We really, really don't want to lose this tree. It's mature, large and typically incomparably beautiful. We've treated it each year with Bayer Advanced systemic insecticide, it's watered well and pruned regularly. We just have no idea what to do with a tree that looks 100 percent dead heading into the summer.

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Comments (5)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
11 years ago
I think you've probably already lost it. No leaves as of May 1st, dried, dead buds and dry, brown branches don't speak well for any long term survival. At least for the grafted portion. The rootstock may still be viable but will not be the same tree and certainly won't weep.

And I can't see any 'tailings' clearly in the photo but there are definitely borers that prefer the Prunus genus, cherries in particular. In fact, they are only one of a host of problems that can afflict these trees, rendering them weakly growing, unsightly and often - make that usually - quite short lived.

Removal is what you do with a tree that is 100% dead (or at least 85% dead if including the rootstock) heading into summer. I think it's time to consider a replacement.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
We've treated it each year with Bayer Advanced systemic insecticide

==>>> be nice to know where it is ... but most likely.. its dead ...

you really shouldnt be using aggressive chemicals as per above.. w/o at least identifying a pest upon which to use it ... [and trust me.. i have no disinclination to using such.. WHEN NEEDED] .....

ken
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brich
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
We live in Boise, Idaho. Zone 6B.

I should have mentioned that we had a horrifying cold snap in November that devastated the area, and much of the damage is only now being realized. There have been quite a few news stories just in the past week about all of the damage done to vineyards, public parks and private property. On November 6, it reached a high of 69 degrees. On November 13-14 we got about 6" of snow and on November 15, the overnight low was 1 degree. The daytime highs didn't get back above freezing until November 21, with single digit overnight lows that entire week. So we went from warm fall weather to permafrost in about 9 days.

Surprisingly, our hydrangeas and many other delicate trees and shrubs weren't even fazed. But this one tree - probably our favorite tree in the yard - was just decimated.
hamburglar1
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
I live in 5b Cleveland and the typical weeping cherries around our neighborhood have all been struggling the last two years. There are a lot around here and I frankly have not seen one fully bloom since spring 2013, including ours which was a huge (16'x25'), vigorous specimen. The issue here has been the severe low temps in late winter. A lot of frail plants not known for being hardy (Forest Pansy Redbud, Itea, Hydrangea, etc.) have nonetheless made it through unscathed. Not the same situation as in Boise perhaps, but cherries are not particularly hardy or tough. And they decline in a hurry when not doing well. Bummer.
Bob Weber
11 years ago
I'm in Northern Colorado and have two weeping cherries that were here when I bought the house in 2001, so at least 14 years old. Side by side. This spring neither tree has produced any buds, flowers or leaves.