Cherry Blossom wilting and dying!! Help!!!

Roger

Hello,

3 years ago we bough a lovely Cherry Blossom (white) about 2 years old. We planted it and the first year it did fine and grew quite nicely... on the second year it came back nicely (flowered perfectly early spring and all the leaves came out fine) until mid summer when suddenly we noticed all the leaves started to look wilted and browner as if lacking water...

We regularly watered it throughout that time hoping it would resolve the issue but the tree kept looking worse by the week. In fact, it got so bad that all the leaves looked totally dead by autumn as if totally dried out. However the leaves did not fall...
After a bit of research on the web the only 2 problems I can find were Firelight (which I don't think is the issue, or at least I hope it's not... as I have plenty of other Rosaceous around and they are fine) or a Root fungal disease which in that case I believe I cannot replace with one of the same specie.

So after find out the above, I removed all the leaves of the tree by hand and burnt them... and left the tree hoping it would come back this year... however it didn't, not one bud opened, no flowers, no leaves, nothing... so I pealed the trunk to see if it was still alive and it was (nicely green under) but no sign of life on the outside.

I have now cut it dawn as still no sign of life in May and want to replace it with a new tree... so my question is what do you think was that got it and should I plant something different instead of re-using the same specie??

Thank you in advance!!
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Roger Pessoa

GPI · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:32 pm Post subject:

Roger, is the root disease you mention Honey fungus, the fungal disease which attacks many plants. Have you dug out the root of the tree yet? If you have still to dig it out check the soil around the roots of the plant, is there a faintly mushroom like smell, this hints at Honey fungus
If you scratch some of the bark on the broom, is there a similar mushroom smell?

Here is an example of some honey fungus symptoms....

Roger · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:47 pm Post subject:

Hello GPI,

Thanks a million for your reply!!

I do think it's to do with the roots system as the aerial part of the tree was not showing any sign of damage... however I haven't had the courage to dig the root out...

But I will get around to it this week-end and will let you know if this is the case... if so is it very bad?? Any danger to spread to other shrubs/trees??? Will I be able to replant on that spot??

Also I noticed you say "Here is an example of some honey fungus symptoms...." at the end of your message but I can't seem to see anything else after it. I also can't seem to be able to view certain links and pics on most of the forums in this site...

Am I missing something along the way...I’m only new as a member, sorry!

Once again, thank you very much for your response! Will keep you posted!
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Roger Pessoa

GPI · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 6:00 pm Post subject:

Don't know why you would be unable to see the pics Roger.
I will have a look into it, anyway here is a clickable link to the image I posted above to help you with diagnosis..... http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j280/gardenplansireland/honeyfungussymptoms.jpg
Keep me posted once you dig the root out.

Roger · Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 9:19 pm Post subject:

Hello GPI,

I finally got around to dig the root out...

The roots looked pretty big, although i thought they broke very easily. I also did get the mushroom smell but very slightly...

I have a few pics but i can't figure out how to post them... Do i need some special program? Sorry, i'm not as good with computers as i am with gardening... Smile

By the way, i can see the pics and links now... i had some program in my computer blocking them but igit that sorted!

Thanks again for all the help!!

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Roger Pessoa

verge · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:06 am Post subject:

markbld · Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 6:36 pm Post subject:

hi
i also have the same problem as Roger, we have a few cherry blossoms and all are the same eg leaves shrivel up some stay green but mostly all are either shriveled and kinda brown/black, the tree's are in different areas of the garden but all seem to fade away for the last few years

i'm just learning all about the garden so help HELP even, the tree's look healthy enought but we never have seen them in flower , there are mature tree's i will do my best to get some photos of the tree/leaves

any suggestions ???
photos hopfully can solve this problem, these where taken today as i'm concerned that one of the tree's has some form of weeping sore's on it also the base does not look to good, the tree itself looks ok its any of the blossoms we have have never really trived

http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/gg153/markbld/?action=view&current=leafdamaged.jpg

http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/gg153/markbld/?action=view&current=leafofdamagedtree.jpg

http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/gg153/markbld/?action=view&current=treeroot.jpg

http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/gg153/markbld/?action=view&current=weepingsoreontree.jpg

GPI · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:02 pm Post subject:

GPI · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:16 am Post subject:

I recently put together an article on the subject of honey fungus for those of you still wondering about it and your plants........ Honey fungus "boot-lace", cause, treat, cure.
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Remember, a weed is just a plant in the wrong place.

Garden Consultation & Design in Ireland!

markbld · Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 6:58 pm Post subject:

any suggestions ???
photos hopfully can solve this problem, these where taken today as i'm concerned that one of the tree's has some form of weeping sore's on it also the base does not look to good, the tree itself looks ok its any of the blossoms we have have never really trived

http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/gg153/markbld/?action=view&current=leafdamaged.jpg

http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/gg153/markbld/?action=view&current=leafofdamagedtree.jpg

http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/gg153/markbld/?action=view&current=treeroot.jpg

http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/gg153/markbld/?action=view&current=weepingsoreontree.jpg

GPI · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:18 am Post subject:

Looks like a case of Bacterial canker markbld.
This usually results in the death of the tree as there is there is really no satisfactory control.
The disease begins by entering wounds in the tree during the autumn, poor pruning cuts, wind broken branches, and strimmer line cuts at the base of the trunk to name just a few possibilities.
If just the branches were showing the tell-tale gum exuding they could be pruned out and burnt, but in your case this gum seems to be seeping from the main stem as well.
It looks as though your trees may have to be removed.
However, you can try and control or slow the disease by spraying with the tree with a fungicide such as Burgundy mixture, described in point (4) of this article..... Burgundy mix.
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Remember, a weed is just a plant in the wrong place.

Garden Consultation & Design in Ireland!

markbld · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:39 am Post subject: