Lapin Cherry not getting full canopy

9 years ago

I have a Lapin cherry that is only getting leaves on the lower branches. I have tried to identify the problem with several books and searches and can find nothing. The only issue I have had in the three years since I planted it were aphids, which I have controlled. There have been no signs of borers or black knot, and definitely no canker. The flare and root system seem fine. The tree has grown very quickly and the soil structure is sitly clay with slag and plenty of sand, manure and compost.

I attached a pic (came through sideways).

The buds seem to be dead and when I break them off the interior is brown and dry, no green. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments (8)

alan haigh
9 years ago
As long as you've eliminated the other possibilities my guess is cambium damage from very cold temps. This is always an unpredictable injury that sometimes only affects parts of the tree. Sometimes you can see the injury on the bark, but sometimes it's just dead.
Naterocker
Original Author
9 years ago
Would you recommend pruning the dead branches immediately, or holding on to hope for a while? All my other trees have fully bloomed.
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franktank232
9 years ago
If the branches are dead, cut them out. They aren't coming back. How cold did it get there? I have Lapins here, but no dieback like that, although I had no flowers make it.
Naterocker
Original Author
9 years ago
I saw -18 on my yard thermometer and I heard that it hit -26 F in spots, but wind may be an issue since the tree is right next to a privacy fence and we are less that 1/4 mile from Lake Erie. It also sayed well below or barely above 0 F three straight days with at least 10-15 nights below 0 F during he winter. Tough year for Northeast Ohio.

None of the branches "look" dead. They have good exterior color and are very "green" feeling when I flex them. I noticed a couple of the branches that started breaking bud ended up with dead leaves and the tree is sending out suckers from the graft line. The golden heart variety right next door seems fine other than being light on flowers and late with a few clusters of buds.
Naterocker
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks for the help. I feel like I should wait, but that will probably just increase the chance of disease, so I guess I will just be set back a couple years with this one.
queensinfo
9 years ago
I am having a similar problem on one of my cherry trees. Although not completely dead, a few branches haven't leafed out yet and most of the other leaves look deformed. My other cherry flowered better but has barley leaded out. I have one Lapins and one black gold. I think the picture is the Lapins.
queensinfo
9 years ago
Picture of my other tree. Black gold I think.
Naterocker
Original Author
9 years ago
I cut out the branches that didn't leaf out, and they were indeed quite dead. Some of the cambium tissue was still green in the lower branches, but I decided to just scrap my original training design (was pruning to a central leader) and go with an open centered tree. Looks pretty sad, but hopefully with the root system being as established as it is, it will make a quick comeback.

Thanks again for the advice Frank and Harvest. Good luck with your trees too Queen.