Knowledgebase
Trunk on Cherry Tree Splitting Open #742213
Asked April 02, 2021, 6:16 PM EDT
St. Mary's County Maryland
Expert Response
There are a number of potential causes for bark cracking/splitting, and it may not be possible to determine the original reason, especially since these wounds don't appear very fresh. This page goes into some of the common phenomena: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/frost-cracks-sunscald-growth-cracks
It wouldn't hurt to have the tree evaluated by a certified arborist, either now or in the future if any worrying symptoms develop. (That said, once symptoms become blatant, sometimes little intervention is possible.) If you are interested in doing this, the second and third links on this page lead to arborist search tools: https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/how-do-you-decide-when-remove-tree
We suggest you keep an eye on the gummosis (sap oozing) on the trunk; this can be fairly harmless in cherries and triggered by a range of environmental stress factors, but they can also indicate more serious issues with wood-boring insects or pathogens in the sapwood. Here are a few of the triggers for gummosis in cherries; this is not to say this is definitively what's happening here, but they are issues to be aware of and monitor for going forward:
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/borers-trees
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/stone-fruit-insects (item #3 on this page)
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/diseases-stone-fruit (item #4 on this page)
If canopy growth (when the tree is leafed-out in late spring and summer) seems normal and not stunted, patchy, or off-color, then the current symptoms may be more cosmetic than concerning.
Miri
On Apr 5, 2021, at 9:54 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
You're welcome.