Cherry tree budded but produces no leaves - Ask Extension
I have a cherry tree in my yard that budded earlier in the season. But the buds never opened and no leaves have grown on the tree. In addition, there ...
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Cherry tree budded but produces no leaves #835977
Asked June 16, 2023, 1:32 PM EDT
I have a cherry tree in my yard that budded earlier in the season. But the buds never opened and no leaves have grown on the tree. In addition, there are some small green tufts of growth coming out of various parts of the tree. They are growing slowly, but I don’t know if this is affecting the tree at all, or what it might be. Is there a way to care for the tree and get it to grow its leaves back?
Thank you in advance for any help.
Andrew
Denver County Colorado
Expert Response
Hi Andrew,
It is hard to tell without knowing a little bit more. What type of cherry tree is it? When was it planted? Does it have good drainage? Has it been healthy and leafed out and budded in years past?
It looks like the small green tufts could be water sprouts, a sign that the tree is stressed.
Hopefully we can help with some additional information - thank you!
It is hard to tell without knowing a little bit more. What type of cherry tree is it? When was it planted? Does it have good drainage? Has it been healthy and leafed out and budded in years past?
It looks like the small green tufts could be water sprouts, a sign that the tree is stressed.
Hopefully we can help with some additional information - thank you!
Hi, thank you for your reply!
It is a Royal Ann cherry tree. It was here when I bought my house, but I think it was probably planted in 2019 or 2020.
The drainage might not be optimal, as it is just in a small plot surrounded by pavers on three sides and a concrete wall on one side.
Last year it was healthy, there were plenty of leaves and it even produced a bunch of cherries.
I don't have too much more information about it, hopefully that answers your questions.
Thank you,
Andrew
Andrew,
Royal Ann is a sweet cherry variety and with sweet cherry trees on the Front Range frost is a common problem, not to mention they are not self-pollinating so it takes two trees to produce fruit. Sour cherry aka pie cherry varieties bloom later and tend to be more reliable in Denver.
I suspect that what happened here is the tree formed buds last season but the buds died due to cold temperatures over the winter. The little wisp of green tissue trying to push from the trunk looks like the last gasp of energy coming from the roots. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but in my opinion, your tree will not recover. I would recommend replacing it and starting fresh.
Here's a link to an article about growing tree fruit in Colorado that you might find helpful:
https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2022/12/Tree-Fruit.pdf
Royal Ann is a sweet cherry variety and with sweet cherry trees on the Front Range frost is a common problem, not to mention they are not self-pollinating so it takes two trees to produce fruit. Sour cherry aka pie cherry varieties bloom later and tend to be more reliable in Denver.
I suspect that what happened here is the tree formed buds last season but the buds died due to cold temperatures over the winter. The little wisp of green tissue trying to push from the trunk looks like the last gasp of energy coming from the roots. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but in my opinion, your tree will not recover. I would recommend replacing it and starting fresh.
Here's a link to an article about growing tree fruit in Colorado that you might find helpful:
https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/59/2022/12/Tree-Fruit.pdf
