where are you.. and why replace it with the same thing ...??

my cherry has been leafless for two weeks.. that is because its fall .. almost frost time for me.. where are you.. big city name...

i wouldnt be spraying leaves this time of year.. because they will be falling off soon ...

i would suggest you expose the root flare... but it appears this thing is already pissing you off.. so perhaps it is best to put it out of your misery ... been there.. done that.. plenty of times...

ken

@ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5 Zone 8b, NW Europe. Our days are still pretty warm with night temperatures above 10°C (50°F), and other cherries in the neighborhood still haven’t started to shed their leaves (that usually happens in November for us).

I wouldn’t fell a healthy specimen just for the sake of change, but the premature leaf loss combined with the canker makes me question whether investing more time into it would be worthwhile…which is why I’m seeking input from people more knowledgeable than me, who may have experience with cherries infected by canker.

I was thinking of replacing it with a saucer magnolia.

What's the distance from the sidewalk?

Cherries, both fruiting and ornamental, have more disease and insect issues than just about any other tree one could name. At least here in North America. Gummosis, bacterial canker, shothole disease, black knot, brown rot are only a few of the many pathogens one might encounter. Together with unspecified environmental stresses (weather, excessively wet periods, planting incorrectly, etc.). Stressed trees also tend to be more attractive as well as more vulnerable to insect issues. These factors combine to make cherries quite short lived in the garden or landscape......generally no more than 20-25 years.

And while the trees can live with these issues for a period of time, decline is inevitable, as is a funky appearance. Any treatment you might choose will only prolong the problems/tree lifespan slightly. The tree will not improve in either health or appearance. Removal and replacement with a non-Prunus species is strongly suggested.

Planted too deep? Dead tree. Only a matter of time.