Cherry Tree Bark Split. very little blossom

[RobertG99]

Hi. I need expert help. I have a cherry tree and the bark is split. I had an arborist look at it and he said it looked infected but he isn't an expert on this. He advised using and anti fungal from a garden centre but couldn't advice which. He also advised not to prune the tree. The tree has not developed as many leaves or blossom as usual this year whereas it's usually abundant. 

So I guess what I would like to know is. Is this a barck split or an infection and if an infection, what is it? How do I treat it? Is this the cause of the lack of blossom? 

I am finding it hard to get an expert on this locally.

 

Kind regards

 

Robert

[Derek Eames]

Could be bacterial canker i.e. Pseudomonas syringae pv. morsprunorum  

 

[openspaceman]

34 minutes ago, Derek Eames said:

Could be bacterial canker i.e. Pseudomonas syringae pv. morsprunorum  

 

It strikes me whatever the initial problem was a secondary fungal attack has goosed it

[RobertG99]

Thanks for the input. 

 

What can I do to treat this?

 

Thanks

 

Robert

[openspaceman]

50 minutes ago, RobertG99 said:

Thanks for the input. 

 

What can I do to treat this?

 

Thanks

 

Robert

I cannot see it can recover if that is a recent picture, Has it got any green leaves?

[RobertG99]

Yes, It has green leaves. It has always been a late bloomer. It is also a substantial tree at the front that is quite visible.

 

Thanks

 

Robert

[RobertG99]

Yes, It has green leaves. It has always been a late bloomer. It is also a substantial tree at the front that is quite visible.

 

I'm going to be very sad if I have to cut this tree down.

 

Thanks

 

Robert

[Paul Tomo]

On 15/05/2020 at 18:51, RobertG99 said:

Hi. I need expert help. I have a cherry tree and the bark is split. I had an arborist look at it and he said it looked infected but he isn't an expert on this. He advised using and anti fungal from a garden centre but couldn't advice which. He also advised not to prune the tree. The tree has not developed as many leaves or blossom as usual this year whereas it's usually abundant. 

So I guess what I would like to know is. Is this a barck split or an infection and if an infection, what is it? How do I treat it? Is this the cause of the lack of blossom? 

I am finding it hard to get an expert on this locally.

 

Kind regards

 

Robert

I know of a cherry tree that is need of some heavy limb removal, this would save the tree from major trunk separation/splitting. What could happen to the tree if pruning happens at this time of year.

 

[Dan Maynard]

Yes, It has green leaves. It has always been a late bloomer. It is also a substantial tree at the front that is quite visible.
 
I'm going to be very sad if I have to cut this tree down.
 
Thanks
 
Robert

I would love someone to point out I'm wrong, but antifungal treatments tend to only be of any use for mild leaf infections on smaller plants. The difficulty here is that the fungus has probably already spread throughout the wood as evidenced by poor leaves over the whole tree, so it is really impossible to treat as such.

The tree will have to fight it's own fight really, the best you can do is help it not be drought stressed, maybe mulch around the base and address any compaction. Not pruning is good advice as it needs all the leaves it can get to make sugars.

It may recover, trees do have bad years and last year was very dry. It may not, in which case fell and replant I'm afraid. Don't rush though.

[RobertG99]

Thank you all for your help.

 

I will give it the TLC and hopefully it will recover.

 

Robert