What Is Wrong With My Weeping Cherry Tree?

Is the foliage yellowing in places and dropping prematurely, growth is slowed?

Are the leaves spotted, brown, and drop prematurely?

Are the leaves covered with white powder?

Are the leaves discolored, fine webbing may be present?

Are the leaves curled and distorted?

Are the leaves yellow and covered by small bumps?

Does the trunk and the branches have holes, tree look weakened, twigs may be dropping?

These symptoms usually indicate a fungal disease - Verticillium wilt. This soilborne fungal disease makes leaves yellow, wilt, and fall off before the entire branch dies. Avoid planting trees near strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants as they are susceptible to Verticillium wilt. Soil solarization may prevent the disease.

Spotted leaves usually indicate fungal leaf spot. Some fungal spots are surrounded by flecks or black dots, their spore-bearing fruiting bodies. Often spots come together to form larger patches of dead tissue. Pick off and discard infected leaves. Remove dead leaves to reduce overwintering spore populations.

White, powdery patches on the leaves are caused by a fungal disease Powdery mildew. Powdery mildew usually appears in damp places. Encourage good air circulation around the affected plants by thining them and any surrounding plants. Water plants from below to keep foliage dry. Any affected leaves should be cut off and removed. Spray foliage thoroughly with wettable sulfur once or twice at weekly intervals starting as soon as the whitish coating of the fungus is visible.

Spider mites are known to cause problems for weeping cherries. Hose off plants when symptoms first appear. A strong stream knocks mites off plants and may give control. Introduce predatory mites. For severe infestations, spray plants with insecticidal soap or pyrethrin.

Distorted and curled leaves are caused by aphids. These tiny insects cluster under leaves and on growing tips where they feed on plant sap. Leaves, stems, and buds get distorted and later leaves and flowers drop from the plant. You can control them by washing them off the plant with water spray. Insecticidal soap should be used with severe infestations.

Yellow leaves covered by small bumps are caused by scales. These tiny, shelled insects often feed on the undersides of the leaves, causing an unhealthy appearance with yellowish blotches on the upper leaf surfaces. Scrape off minor infestations with your fingernail. Prune out badly infested growth, or use a soft brush and soapy water to gently scrub the scales off the stems. Control scales by spraying insecticidal oil during the growing season.

Numerous borers attack woody plants, mining the inner bark and wood of branches and trunk. Prune off borer-infested branches. If you see borer holes in your trees, probe into them with a flexible wire or inject a solution of parasitic nematodes. After treatment, seal holes with putty.

If there are webbed nests in tree branches the culprits are tent caterpillars. Tent caterpillars can be controlled by manually destroying their nests or egg cases, spraying leaves with BTK at the first sign of damage, or applying pyrethrin spray as a last resort.