FAQ

I have a weeping cherry tree that is about 13 years old. The leaves are sparse, sap is running from the trunk, and the trunk is split. What can I do to help it recover?

It's very difficult to provide accurate diagnoses without being in front of the tree to see the entire picture of what might be going on, but given your description, there are likely a number of factors affecting the tree. The entire group of fruit/ornamental trees known as the stone fruits are subject to three very common borer pests that could be causing the sap flow - lesser peach tree borer, peach tree borer, and a small beetle in the Agrilus genus. All of these can be highly destructive. Bark splitting can be caused by many factors: winter injury, sunscald, canker development, physical injury, lightning, etc. There are also quite a few fungal diseases that can cause sparse leaf coverage, as well as root loss from root rot pathogens, drought, and girdling roots or improper planting depth. Depending on the level of damage, there may be ways to correct the problem(s) causing the decline, but we suggest that you contact your local office to make an appointment.