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Fruit & Orchards

nanking cherry problem

16 years ago

I'm hoping someone on this forum can tell me what's happening with my Nanking cherry. The tree bloomed profusely, has set lots of cherries, and leafed out. But the leaves and blossoms at the ends of a number of branches are brown and dead. This is the only problem with the tree -- no yellowed leaves, unusual veins or coloring in leaves, no wilting of the ends of these branches. Just browned, dead leaves and blossoms at the ends of branches -- up to about 6" worth.

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Comments (7)

marknmt
16 years ago
Any chance it's fireblight?

If so, you want to know and to deal with it. A picture would help if you can.

Tomentosa is not overly susceptible to fireblight but it is a possibility if the humidity and temperature and timing were right.

You might google tomentosa and fireblight and see if you find some photos that would tell you for sure.

Good luck,

M
austransplant
Original Author
16 years ago
Marknmt

I did not think fireblight affected prunus but only pome fruit. My suspicion is that it is some sort of soil-borne pathogen, but I have not been able to determine what by looking at books.
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marknmt
16 years ago
You might google tomentosa and fireblight and see if you find some photos that would tell you for sure.

On the other hand, your suspicion might be born out. It might be some sort of soil-borne pathogen. I don't know.

Good luck,

M
jellyman
16 years ago
Austransplant:

Sounds like freeze damage to me. Had a few nights down to around 28F or so? Are the bushes located in a low area or one that offers little or no protection from cold?

Fireblight does not attack Nankings or any other cherry. Nor would any other pathogen that I know of, soilborne or otherwise, affect only the last few inches of leaves and blossoms.

I wouldn't worry about it much, and would just prune off the affected areas.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA
austransplant
Original Author
16 years ago
Don,

It's conceivable we got that low over the last night or so, though oddly of the two Nanking cherries next to one another, only one has this problem. In any event, I've already pruned it off on the better safe than sorry principle.
chills71
16 years ago
I've threatened my last nanking cherry and already bought the replacement for it. (darn thing hasn't produced or flowered as I would have wanted) This year it has so many buds on each branch that I couldn't count them if I wanted to.

I think it knows its days are likely numbered.

~Chills
austransplant
Original Author
16 years ago
Chills,

I've noticed quite a few people on the forum have had problems with Nanking cherries setting fruit. I wasn't sure they would for me, especially given our warm zone. But both plants have set lots of fruit. Hopefully some of it will ripen, though my guess is the cherries will be very small and it is probably not worth the effort thinning them out. I put the tree in more as part of an edible barrier along the side of the house than with serious intent to get food (I've got serious cherry trees for that). Still, I am interested to see what they taste like.

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