What/who Killed my (Wild Cherry) Tree?

10 years ago

I just chopped another dead tree down. It is about 10" diameter at the base. I think this is a wild cherry tree, but I'm not 100% sure.

When I cut it down, I saw eggs and some insects in the core of the dead tree. I assume they are termites. At the base of the tree, I found 2 large tunnels. I've seen the small moving brown colored animals. I asume he/they are ground hogs.

So I just wonder who killed the tree? Ground hogs, termites or other factors?

This tree is in the middle of the wind breaker between two open fields/properties. There are various wild life, such as deers, fox, birds, bugs (beetles?). Some other wild cherry trees grow happily.

Over the past few years, I've cut down like 6 such trees (may not be the same type). I just do not want to lose any more mature trees. But if they have reached the end of their lives, then there is not much I can do to save them.

I have started to plant some other seedligns in their places. I hope the new ones would grow better.

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Comments (6)

denninmi
10 years ago
Tunneling large animals didn't kill a tree. If you found active borers in the trunk when you cut it, that is the cause. They are probably not termites, although I really wouldn't stake my life on it, we don't have termites here so I'm not familiar with their habits. My money would be on some kind of borer.

If you have other trees of same species, you should treat them annually with a product to control borers. What product may depend on the type, so you may need to do more research on what your tree is and what commonly attacks it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Good brochure on borers from Colorado State
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
contact your county extension office .... and ask them.. or if you still have the wood.. ask if they might visit and analyze ...

based on your paucity of facts.. we really cant get anywhere solid ...

on borers.. its kinda imperative.. to know what tree.. to ID the borer ..

ken
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I started out just cutting trees that were close to the house, then I expanded it to cutting loblolly field pines that were leaning towards the house and dangerous. Then I expanded it a little more to open up an area where I can put more attractive trees. And while doing THAT I discovered a lot of unhealthy trees that were just hurting the ones that could be better. And I just found today that a lot of my oak trees that I thought were healthy were being completely eaten up on the inside by ants! They cut one down that was right next to my garage, it was more than 36" in diameter but probably 20" of the center was completely eaten away :-O So now I'm having to take down the oak trees that are close to the house, too. As for moving them, I found this that worried me: Black cherry, like many large trees, develops an extensive taproot and therefore cannot be easily transplanted. Make sure you site your tree in its forever home for this reason. https://www.houzz.com/magazine/plant-black-cherry-trees-for-the-birds-and-bees-stsetivw-vs~67621489 With the smallest at 4' tall, I'm concerned that the roots might be MUCH larger than I can handle with a shovel! So I expect that, if I can get them dug up at all, it'll probably kill them :-(
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Dzitmoidonc
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Lots of things can kill a wild cherry because they are susceptible to lots of things. A groundhog den underground can weaken the tree, and in a bad year (drought), yes, the tree can die. Borers definitely can kill a tree, especially one weakened by having most of the roots exposed to air because of a den under the roots.
lisanti07028
10 years ago
We have tons of wild cherries around here, thanks to the birds, and while they get very tall very quickly, they are not usually long-lived. As for groundhogs, if you saw small animals, you didn't see groundhogs; those beasts are bigger than cats, more like raccoons, and not small.
botann
10 years ago
Wild cherries don't live long here either. A ten inch diameter is a large one. Many die before getting that big.
They make good firewood though.
Mike
lisanti07028
10 years ago
And the woodpeckers and flickers love them as they die back from the top.

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What/who Killed my (Wild Cherry) Tree?

Comments (6)

denninmi

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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