Miniature Weeping Cherry Tree - Ask Extension
Good Morning. I'm having a challenge with one of my favorite things, my weeping cherry tree. My hubby and my son planted it for me when we moved here,...
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Miniature Weeping Cherry Tree #821118
Asked February 25, 2023, 11:49 AM EST
Good Morning. I'm having a challenge with one of my favorite things, my weeping cherry tree. My hubby and my son planted it for me when we moved here, over 30 years ago so it's very special to me. During late fall, I added alot of wood chips to our front yard which included surrounding the bottom of my tree. Within a month or so, I noticed that the leaves of my tree were starting to curl. My son thought that the wood chips may have been choking the tree since they were up to and directly touching the trunk of the tree. I raked back the wood chips to leave ~ a foot in diameter chip free area around the base of my tree. I'm concerned that those wood chips may have caused a problem and they keep falling back towards the trunk. I'm thinking that if I rake the wood chips away again and fill in around the base of my tree with a potting soil, instead, to keep the chips away, hopefully that will be what my tree needs. There is also a large ball at the bottom of the trunk that I thought I should cover up with the potting soil but, honestly, I don't know if I should cover it. Thank you in advance for your advice.
Cuyahoga County Ohio
Expert Response
Hello,
While your son is correct that a thick layer of mulch around the base of a tree is not good for the tree, it takes some time before the tree will show the effects of over-mulching, so I don't think you caused any damage if the tree was heavily mulched for a short time.
It's important to leave the base of the tree (the root flair) uncovered for the health of the tree, so I would not advise adding soil around the base of your tree. Using mulch is fine as long as it's not piled thickly at the base of the trunk.
The unusual shape at the base of your trunk may be a grafting union. Weeping cherry trees are created by grafting one type of tree (the weeping form) onto the trunk or rootstock of another (non-weeping form). Sometimes the place on the trunk where the union is made can grow into an unusual shape and is not an indication of a problem with the overall health of the tree.
If you notice any growth sprouting from below the canopy of the tree to around the base of the trunk, this growth should be pruned off regularly to improve the health of the tree canopy.
The curling leaves you noticed last fall could have been caused by heat or drought stress and may have been a temporary condition. It will be important to keep a close eye on the tree for any signs of stress this season. Curling leaves may be an indication the tree needs watering if your soil is very dry; or may simply be a response to particularly hot or sunny weather. If the leaves curl during the heat of the day but then relax during the evening and morning, it is probably not a cause for concern.
If you notice any branches in the canopy of the tree that do not leaf out or lose their leaves earlier than the rest of the tree, this is a sign of a more serious problem and you may need to contact a certified arborist to evaluate your tree.
From your photos, it looks like the soil level between the tree and the sidewalk is higher than the base of the tree. If that is the case, or if there is a thick layer of mulch in that area, I would recommend raking that soil and/or mulch away from that area so the soil line is more level with the tree base. You can still apply a thin layer of mulch between the sidewalk and tree as long as it doesn't get piled up.
Another consideration is that the typical lifespan of a weeping cherry tree is 30-40 years, so it's possible that your tree is nearing the end of it's natural life.
Here are a few resources that may be helpful.
Proper mulching
Find a certified arborist
General care for cherry trees
If you need further assistance, you may wish to contact your local extension office. If you notice problems with your tree this season, someone may able to make a home visit to evaluate your tree.
While your son is correct that a thick layer of mulch around the base of a tree is not good for the tree, it takes some time before the tree will show the effects of over-mulching, so I don't think you caused any damage if the tree was heavily mulched for a short time.
It's important to leave the base of the tree (the root flair) uncovered for the health of the tree, so I would not advise adding soil around the base of your tree. Using mulch is fine as long as it's not piled thickly at the base of the trunk.
The unusual shape at the base of your trunk may be a grafting union. Weeping cherry trees are created by grafting one type of tree (the weeping form) onto the trunk or rootstock of another (non-weeping form). Sometimes the place on the trunk where the union is made can grow into an unusual shape and is not an indication of a problem with the overall health of the tree.
If you notice any growth sprouting from below the canopy of the tree to around the base of the trunk, this growth should be pruned off regularly to improve the health of the tree canopy.
The curling leaves you noticed last fall could have been caused by heat or drought stress and may have been a temporary condition. It will be important to keep a close eye on the tree for any signs of stress this season. Curling leaves may be an indication the tree needs watering if your soil is very dry; or may simply be a response to particularly hot or sunny weather. If the leaves curl during the heat of the day but then relax during the evening and morning, it is probably not a cause for concern.
If you notice any branches in the canopy of the tree that do not leaf out or lose their leaves earlier than the rest of the tree, this is a sign of a more serious problem and you may need to contact a certified arborist to evaluate your tree.
From your photos, it looks like the soil level between the tree and the sidewalk is higher than the base of the tree. If that is the case, or if there is a thick layer of mulch in that area, I would recommend raking that soil and/or mulch away from that area so the soil line is more level with the tree base. You can still apply a thin layer of mulch between the sidewalk and tree as long as it doesn't get piled up.
Another consideration is that the typical lifespan of a weeping cherry tree is 30-40 years, so it's possible that your tree is nearing the end of it's natural life.
Here are a few resources that may be helpful.
Proper mulching
Find a certified arborist
General care for cherry trees
If you need further assistance, you may wish to contact your local extension office. If you notice problems with your tree this season, someone may able to make a home visit to evaluate your tree.
