Tree Dieseases - Ask Extension
Here is another picture. The water in the tree has a pungent smell, and has worms and maggots in it. Several of the leaves have wilted around the tree...
Knowledgebase
Tree Dieseases #792622
Asked May 25, 2022, 3:01 PM EDT
Hello!
I have a large Japanese cherry tree that I am worried has become diseased. Are there any people that can support identifying and possibly treating my tree? I am located in Dunkirk.
Thank you for any help!
Best,
Ashley
Calvert County Maryland
Expert Response
Here is another picture. The water in the tree has a pungent smell, and has worms and maggots in it. Several of the leaves have wilted around the tree but there is still lots of green foliage.
There are a couple of separate issues going on for you.
The wilting and browning of some tips are indicative of brown rot. This was usually more of a problem on edible fruiting cherries but has shown up more recently on Kwanzaan cherry trees as well. Disease pressure can vary from year to year, dependent on weather and how wet the spring is. We don't recommend spraying for it. Here is our page on Brown Rot on Ornamental Cherry Trees:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/brown-rot-ornamental-cherry-trees
The cavity which holds water within the trunks is a different issue. It can cause rot if the water sits there all the time. We can't see exactly what you have critter wise, but standing water could have mosquito larvae in it- you can see what that looks like in the video within this page:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/controlling-mosquitoes
They can easily be controlled by putting the bio-pesticide Bt, found in granules and donut-shaped dunks, within the water.
Anything that can be done to help the water to dry is good, but that is not easy. Monitor how long/often you have standing water within the cavity. If it's for long periods of time there is more concern.
You could consider having a tree health expert, a.k.a. a I.S.A.- certified arborist evaluate the tree and offer their thoughts.
Most larger tree companies have them on staff or you can search for one at the credentialing agency here: http://www.treesaregood.org
Christine
The wilting and browning of some tips are indicative of brown rot. This was usually more of a problem on edible fruiting cherries but has shown up more recently on Kwanzaan cherry trees as well. Disease pressure can vary from year to year, dependent on weather and how wet the spring is. We don't recommend spraying for it. Here is our page on Brown Rot on Ornamental Cherry Trees:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/brown-rot-ornamental-cherry-trees
The cavity which holds water within the trunks is a different issue. It can cause rot if the water sits there all the time. We can't see exactly what you have critter wise, but standing water could have mosquito larvae in it- you can see what that looks like in the video within this page:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/controlling-mosquitoes
They can easily be controlled by putting the bio-pesticide Bt, found in granules and donut-shaped dunks, within the water.
Anything that can be done to help the water to dry is good, but that is not easy. Monitor how long/often you have standing water within the cavity. If it's for long periods of time there is more concern.
You could consider having a tree health expert, a.k.a. a I.S.A.- certified arborist evaluate the tree and offer their thoughts.
Most larger tree companies have them on staff or you can search for one at the credentialing agency here: http://www.treesaregood.org
Christine
