FAQ

One of my cherry trees dropped its leaves early last year, and while the other tree is starting to bloom this spring, this one doesn’t seem to be doing well. How can I tell if something is wrong and if it’s treatable, so I don’t have to cut it down?

There are a number of factors that could contribute to a cherry losing its leaves early. Last year, we saw the emergence of a new fungal leaf disease in our area: blumeriella, which caused total leaf loss on hundreds of cherry trees. Girdling roots or root rot could also cause the same or similar symptoms. The best way to determine what the problem is (very difficult to do over the internet), is to have an arborist inspect the tree to determine what is the cause of its decline, and to tell you if there is anything that can be done to remedy the situation.