Cherry tree blight - Ask Extension
Hi! Wondering if I need to do anything for my mature cherry tree - with branches that look like the pix attached.
Knowledgebase
Cherry tree blight #825376
Asked April 12, 2023, 5:21 PM EDT
Hi! Wondering if I need to do anything for my mature cherry tree - with branches that look like the pix attached.
Eaton County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello
From the photo it looks like your cherry tree has lichens. These cause no harm to your tree, and are actually a sign of clean air, i.e., in polluted areas, no lichens can grow. They are a living symbiotic relationship between an algae and fungi where each supply something for the other. Here is an MSUE article that explains more about lichens: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/what_are_lichens_and_what_are_they_doing_on_my_tree
From the photo it looks like your cherry tree has lichens. These cause no harm to your tree, and are actually a sign of clean air, i.e., in polluted areas, no lichens can grow. They are a living symbiotic relationship between an algae and fungi where each supply something for the other. Here is an MSUE article that explains more about lichens: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/what_are_lichens_and_what_are_they_doing_on_my_tree
