Why Does My Cherry Tree Look Unhealthy?

Is the cherry fruit malformed, shrunken and drops early?

Does the affected fruit have crescent-shaped scars and small, brown-headed grubs inside?

Does the fruit have small brown spots that enlarge and become fuzzy in humid weather, young twigs are brown and decaying?

Are the new leaves twisted or curled and covered with a sticky coating?

Are the leaves covered with lacy, brownish patches?

Do the growing shoots wilt and die?

Do the leaves have purple spots on them?

Are the leaves covered with a white powdery coating?

Are the leaves wilting and dying on whole branches?

Do the affected branches have sunken, elliptical lesions that ooze a reddish gum?

Are the leaves yellowing and the limbs dieback?

Do the twigs and branches have tarry, black galls on them?

Does the whole tree lacks vigor?

These are larvae of Plum curculio beetles common to the East. The crescent­shaped scar marks the site where these pests lay eggs. To control curculios without sprays, spread a drop cloth beneath the tree and jar the trunk and branches twice a day with a padded mallet. Collect and destroy curculios that fall onto the sheet.

If there are creamy-white maggots inside cherry fruits they belong to Cherry fruit flies. These flies emerge in late spring from soilborne pupae and lay eggs in the fruit. Since they are attracted to the fruit by sight, you can trap them by hanging red balls with a sticky coating on the trees. 4-8 traps per tree will be enough to control their numbers.

Brown rot is a fungal disease that infects cherries. Fruit may drop early or remain on the tree dried and shriveled. Remove and destroy both mummified fruit and twigs with gummy-looking lesions. For further control, spray sulfur early in the season to control the disease on blossoms, then again later in the season to protect the fruit.

Black cherry aphids often cluster on the undersides of the leaves. The sticky coating is honeydew secreted by these pests. For heavy infestations, knock aphids off with a strong spray of water. Insecticidal soap spray kills aphids on contact. Pyrethrin also kills aphids, but reserve this as a last resort.

Pear slugs that attack cherries are not true slugs but the sluglike larvae of the pear sawfly. Remove them by handpicking or with blasts of water. For heavy infestations, use insecticidal soap spray.

Oriental fruit moth larvae tunnel into shoots. These insects can make lots of damage to the fruit trees and can be challenging to control. Timely BTK insecticide sprays and the introduction of parasitic wasp Macrocentrus ancylivorus will help in controlling them.

Cherry leaf spot is a fungal disease that causes circular purple leaf spots that later turn brown and drop out, leaving small holes. Since the disease overwinters in fallen leaves, control it by removing leaves before spring growth begins. For persistent infection, apply lime-sulfur or sulfur spray.

The cause for these symptoms is a fungal disease Powdery mildew. Powdery mildew usually appears in damp places. Thin your plants to ensure good airflow. Water plants from bellow to keep foliage dry. Any affected leaves should be cut off and removed. Any commercial fungicidal spray will protect your plant from further infections.

The cause is a Bacterial canker or Valsa canker. With bacterial canker, this gum smells sour and leaves may have small, angular spots. For both cankers, prune wilted or dying branches off below the infection point, sterilizing tools in isopropyl alcohol or a 10 percent bleach solution between cuts.

Dying branches covered with numerous small holes are the work of tiny beetles called shothole borers. Shothole borers prefer injured or diseased trees. Vigorous, healthy trees are much less susceptible to problems.

San Jose Scale often attacks cherries. Clusters of these sucking insects cling to the bark and appear as small gray bumps that can be easily scraped off with a fingernail. Control them with late winter application of dormant oil spray.

Black knot is a fungal gall that attacks cherry trees. Prune off all affected twigs and branches several inches below the affected area.

These symptoms usually indicate Peachtree borers. Kill the borers by inserting a wire in the entry holes. Peachtree borers are attracted to weak trees, so avoid mechanical damage and water your tree often to keep it vigorous.

Birds often feed on cherries and leave the tree stripped of fruit. Plant yellow-fruited cultivars. which are somewhat less attractive to birds. Cover small trees with netting.