Dying wild cherry trees. - Ask Extension
I live on Mona Lake, 1 mile from Lake Michigan. I have several mature wild cherry trees. They seem to lose many of their leaves in mid- July. Now one ...
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Dying wild cherry trees. #790524
Asked May 12, 2022, 6:31 PM EDT
I live on Mona Lake, 1 mile from Lake Michigan. I have several mature wild cherry trees. They seem to lose many of their leaves in mid- July. Now one is dead and several look sick, like the dead one did last year. Do you know what the problem is and is there anything to do about it? A few of them look ok, most don't.
Muskegon County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello Mark
Determining what causes decline and death of trees typically means having an expert on site, who examines the whole ecosystem, the trees, their history.
Questions that need answers:
Are there any injuries, wounds, fungi( mushrooms growing on limbs/trunk), disturbed roots? Were any chemicals applied to root zone or trunks? Did the area flood in the past several years? Is the soil well drained? Is there enough sunlight for the trees to thrive?
A certified arborist examines dying branches and leaves for disease and pests and considers all the contributing factors.
This is an article from Stowell Arboretum, Albion College-
“Black cherry is a tree characterized by disturbance events. In dry-mesic oak-hickory and mesic beech-maple forests, the presence of black cherries is associated with disturbance-caused openings. Black cherry also does well along the edges of woodlot, fence rows, and old fields. They do not tolerate high water tables or poorly drained soils. Black cherry is resistant to freezing and can be found in frost pockets or areas subject to late frost. Characteristically shade intolerant, young black cherries can tolerate shade for a few years, but will be shaded out if a disturbance event does not create an opening in the forest. Trees are fast growing and moderately long lived reaching ages of 150-200 years old. Seeds are widely dispersed by birds and may lie dormant for 1-3 or more years in the soil before germination. A common insect pest of this species is the eastern tent caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum) which forms web like tents between the branches and will defoliate the branches.”
Trees can decline because the site becomes less than ideal for them over the years. Repeated droughts, floods, other competing trees grow up and shade them out, disease and insect pests—these are some factors that build up over years.
The loss of leaves early in the growing season is likely due to one or more of the many fungi that affect cherry trees. This type of repeated stress contributes to decline, since it cannot store as much energy in its roots for next season.
To find a certified arborist, who is trained in care and diagnosis of trees and shrubs and has passed certification tests, search by zip code here-
http://www.treesaregood.org
Determining what causes decline and death of trees typically means having an expert on site, who examines the whole ecosystem, the trees, their history.
Questions that need answers:
Are there any injuries, wounds, fungi( mushrooms growing on limbs/trunk), disturbed roots? Were any chemicals applied to root zone or trunks? Did the area flood in the past several years? Is the soil well drained? Is there enough sunlight for the trees to thrive?
A certified arborist examines dying branches and leaves for disease and pests and considers all the contributing factors.
This is an article from Stowell Arboretum, Albion College-
“Black cherry is a tree characterized by disturbance events. In dry-mesic oak-hickory and mesic beech-maple forests, the presence of black cherries is associated with disturbance-caused openings. Black cherry also does well along the edges of woodlot, fence rows, and old fields. They do not tolerate high water tables or poorly drained soils. Black cherry is resistant to freezing and can be found in frost pockets or areas subject to late frost. Characteristically shade intolerant, young black cherries can tolerate shade for a few years, but will be shaded out if a disturbance event does not create an opening in the forest. Trees are fast growing and moderately long lived reaching ages of 150-200 years old. Seeds are widely dispersed by birds and may lie dormant for 1-3 or more years in the soil before germination. A common insect pest of this species is the eastern tent caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum) which forms web like tents between the branches and will defoliate the branches.”
Trees can decline because the site becomes less than ideal for them over the years. Repeated droughts, floods, other competing trees grow up and shade them out, disease and insect pests—these are some factors that build up over years.
The loss of leaves early in the growing season is likely due to one or more of the many fungi that affect cherry trees. This type of repeated stress contributes to decline, since it cannot store as much energy in its roots for next season.
To find a certified arborist, who is trained in care and diagnosis of trees and shrubs and has passed certification tests, search by zip code here-
http://www.treesaregood.org
