Leaves yellowing and dropping quickly on cherry tree

10 years ago

We planted Minnie Royal and Royal Lee cherry trees about two years ago. They both have grown very aggressively since planting. No fruit yet but the tree is definitely established. Last June, after fertilizing with an organic product, the leaves began quickly yellowing and dropping from the tree. It started from the bottom of the tree so that only the tops of the tree branches were left with a few leaves. It rebounded a little but the branches were pretty much exposed the full summer. After losing all of its leaves over the winter and being pruned, it leafed out again this spring beautifully -- in fact it was the first tree that did so. I wasn't sure if the fertilizer caused it last year so I haven't fertilized the tree since February, plus it has grown quite large this year so I'm not sure it needs any anyway. Then earlier this week, one of the leaves yellowed and fell to the ground, despite the rest of the tree looking quite healthy. A couple of days later, a large part of the tree's leaves have once again yellowed and fallen to the ground.

We have a lot of clay in our soil so I don't water too often this time of year (depending how hot it has been, once or twice a month with a garden hose on low to trickle into the soil for 40 minutes or so). The tree is placed next to a lawn -- not in one -- but the sprinklers are directed away from the tree. We're in southern California so water restrictions only allow limited watering of the lawn so I don't think it's getting too much water from that. We have the other cherry tree flanking the other side of the lawn, 12 or so feet away, and it has shown no signs of distress.

I'd like to get to the bottom of this and would appreciate any advice. Here are some pictures of both what the leaves look like and the overall state of the tree. Thanks in advance!

Featured Answer

parker25mv

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

I'm in Southern California and have noticed this too.

I suspect cherry trees are not the best adapted to the climate here, with the hot summers and intense sun. You don't water enough and the leaves get dried out and some of them turn yellow and fall off, you water too much and leaves turn yellow and fall off. With the hot sun and high temperatures there's simply no way to provide enough water without giving more water than the tree can handle.

Natalie, it's very likely the soil is a factor. Does the soil under the cherry tree that's not doing well look a little different than the soil under the other cherry trees that are growing well? Soil is important because of water retention. Some soils hold moisture better than other soils, while some clay rich soils may have poor drainage.

Or it could be that one cherry tree is planted in a part of the yard that experiences higher temperatures.

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Comments (9)

tim45z10
10 years ago
One of mine too
tim45z10
10 years ago
Don't know why though.
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princessbt
10 years ago
Do you know what the white part is on the trunk? What did you use to fertilize. I had tons of Japanese Bettles suck the life out of the leaves. I got Milky Spores and will be spreading it into the grass to get rid of the Japanese Bettles.
Natalie
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks princessbt and parker25mv for your comments!

princessbt, I painted the trunk last summer white, which is what you see in the picture. I've looked around for signs of infestation and I can't find any. Sorry to hear about your tree. Good luck with the Milky Spores.

parker25mv, I think you may be on to something with the watering. After I posted, I gave the tree a really good watering and the leaves stopped dropping. The trees' rootstock does best in clay soils, which we have, so it's likely that the soil dried out too much. The cherry tree that is doing better is planted near our vegetable garden (raised beds), which gets a steady supply of water, so it could be feeding off that too.
HU-494377453
4 years ago
My weeping cherry has been healthy for at least 25 years, but this year the leaves are turning yellow and falling off. Is it possible it is not getting enough water this year. It is planted in clay soil.
HU-327194085
last year
I have a two year old seed grown flowering cherry sapling in a pot that's doing the same thing. It was looking really healthy with lots of new leaf growth and now, in late spring here in New Zealand the leaves are turning yellow and falling off. We've had some very hot days so I'm wondering if it's that.
HU-327194085
last year
I have a two year old seed grown flowering cherry sapling in a pot that's doing the same thing. It was looking really healthy with lots of new leaf growth and now, in late spring here in New Zealand the leaves are turning yellow and falling off. We've had some very hot days so I'm wondering if it's that.
Natalie
Original Author
last year
@HU-327194085 - unfortunately my cherry trees ended up being infested with cherry tree borers and died. :( I hope that your tree has a better fate.