Ive got two, both planted 3 years ago. They appear to be doing fine and growing nicely. I see how they will get big as they grow pretty quickly, these were much smaller when planted just 3 years ago. I really like them as well. Here is a pic of one(the other is fuller, and looks slightly/noticeably better, just dont have pic). I am in Columbus Ohio and my land is wet. Every tree in the pic was planted at least 1.5'+(after 3 years of settling) higher than original ground level. If I didnt, theyd be (more or less) sitting in water 6 months of the year (i.e. dead).

I have one with no probs but I am in 9b so that may not be useful info!

YMMV, but here in TN tip blight is endemic and in the redcedar population, any 'Wichita Blue' I've tried have been completely destroyed.

So now do I plant it and enjoy until it's eventual demise or return to store and exchange?

i had about 5 variations ... they are all gone from my garden .. they lasted 5 to 10 years ....

if it wasnt tip blight.. it was snow load ...

return??.. what did you pay for it .... that would be my bottom line.. i started with rather cheap small plants ...

ken

Purchased one 4-5 feet and it wasn't cheap.

btw .. my favorite flowering shrub is the alpine current ... its ribes .. and i believe.. a problem plant in regard to tip blight ...

who knew at the time ... maybe that is why i had so much trouble ...

ken

Before I knew better I purchased five of these for screening purposes. As I always do when buying several of something I want to "match" I bought a spare and stuck it in an out of the way area. Over the next few years all of the five died and as luck would have it only the spare has survived going on eight years now. It looks to be in fine shape.

I can only surmise that the only reason it lived is because it is so out of the way that it never gets supplemental water or care of any kind. So my advice is if you've already purchased it, plant it and back off.

Thanks for the info. In looking at my other WBJ, it has an issue. In doing research it may be cankers caused by phomopsis? the tree looks fine (now) but it has these "wooden nuggets" (largest shown, just under 1") growing on it. Seems like I should cut them out? The rest are smaller. Hope this makes it. Thanks for info and Im probably wrong w my diagnosis. These are only on 1 of my 2 wbjs.

It looks like a cedar apple rust gall. It hasn't matured yet.

Cedar apple gall pics

more info and treatment options:

Cedar apple rust

I found this on a juniperus virginiana, (Eastern red cedar) a few years after planting. I snipped it off before it swelled and turned orange. it didn't come back and the tree has done fine since.

Barb

Thanks, I read up and it makes sense as I have quite a few crabapple trees and they show the symptoms mentioned in the articles. What an odd symbiotic relationship. I would have never guessed this. Thanks again, Im gonna cut them out.