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Georgia Gardener

Wild Cherry Trees Dying

15 years ago

According to the guy that cut some trees down last year I have some black cherry hardwood trees on my property. Problem is they all look like they are dying. I can't say any tree cutting has affected them. Some are isolated deep into the woods. In fact some look like they've been having problems for a few years. Anyone have similar problems?

North Georgia

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Comments (4)

forgotten
Original Author
15 years ago
Correction on title..black cherry
Iris GW
15 years ago
These are likely Prunus serotina trees and I must say that most of the ones I've ever had only look good in the spring. They tend to get attacked by various bugs (which is just natural) during the summer and then drop their leaves fairly early. They also get the condition that causes oozing and lumps on the bark (the technical term eludes me ...). That is to say, they are not "good looking" trees.

So, it's easy at this time of year to think they look awful and might be dying. I would just watch them come spring and make an evaluation then.
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The wild trees are probably one of the following: Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) Pin Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica) Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) naturalized cultivated cherry such as Mazzard (Prunus avium) All of these probably have pollen that is compatible with cultivated varieties, and that is a fairly close distance, but it's unlikely that all the factors such as flowering season, time of pollen release and/or receptivity, and insect preference, would line up perfectly to make that happen. Then again, I'm no expert, and this is just a guess. If your hoping to rely on this for infertile varieties, you'd be out of luck I think, but then again, if you're worried about this crossing somehow affecting your cultivated cherries, you can probably relax.
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I have read that in this instance that people can do two grafts. The native variety being the most hardy and strongest rooting, then a short intermediary piece which can bridge between the native and fruiting varieties. Can anyone assist? Or know someone who can? I have cut down a large native cherry and would like to graft lapins and stella to the sprouts which are sure to come up this spring. "example taken from plum/almond stone fruit grafting" - " Also (and this is where the fun starts) most fruit trees in the Prunus genus are sometimes compatible with each other: almonds, apricots, nectarines, peaches, and plums all are compatible for grafting, but occasionally it's complicated. For example, some plum rootstock is not compatible with peaches or nectarines; and some almonds require an intermediate step before grafting onto some plum rootstocks."
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Felix--if you can't find a Cherry of the Rio Grande this year check out Hopkins Nursery vending site at the annual Leu Gardens plant sale in March if you live close enough to Orlando. Hopkins doesn't sell retail anymore so you have to get it at a plant show or a nursery that sells their plants. They are the only one that I know of that sells them. Christine
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vroomp
15 years ago
I wish mine had died on their own and saved me the cost of removal.
forgotten
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks I'll consider what you've said.

Vroomp: If mine come down they'll be milled for furniture.

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