What is killing my cherry tree?!?!?

[KarTek]

Help! My best old cherry tree is dying. What is this growing on it, is it killing the tree and how do I get rid of it?







Thanks!

[Zeus]

Hey Evan,

What is growing on your tree is simply lichen. However, you are correct the tree is dying. The cause can be found at the root of the tree, no pun intended.

The tree has a massive girdling root at the base, caused from the tree being planted too deep.

Do you see that bundle of roots protruding from the bottom right of your image? That is what is termed 'adventitious' roots. Simply put, they are an 'emergency' and secondary root system produced by the tree when the primary roots are buried too deeply. The main roots suffocate and the tree rapidly sends out new ones to compensate. They often cannot support the weight of the tree over time and they also tend to grow inwards and in a circular motion - eventually girdling (circling) the trunk and killing the tree by strangling it. A tree's living tissues are found just beyond the bark and don't extend too deeply into the trunk, so it is easy to strangle a tree by compressing the circumference of the trunk.

When a tree grows naturally, it will have a well-formed root flare. This marks the point where the trunk becomes the roots. Root tissue cannot merge with trunk tissue.

In many homes and suburban and urban tree plantings, trees are often planted too deep. Bad nurseries are also to blame. Some nurseries graft donor limbs onto existing root stalks and then they are buried too deep in plastic pots to literally keep them from tipping over. Then the homeowner gets them, takes them home and plants them even deeper - piling earth around the trunk thinking this is best for the tree. The exact opposite is true.

Most roots occur in the top 12" of soil, and roots need oxygen. Soil height and compression are critical to root and tree health. Those 'mulch volcanoes' you see around most trees in suburbia are bad for the tree as well.

Why? The presence of earth around the base of the tree not only suffocates the root system there, it triggers the growth of secondary, or adventitious roots. These roots can often keep a tree alive for a few years, but then eventually they will girdle the trunk, slowly squeezing the life out of your tree.

I am 95% sure this is exactly what has happened to your tree. It has all the telltale signs - the adventitious, circular root bundle, the telephone pole planting (no root flare, just straight trunk into the ground), and the slowly dying tissue which results in the accelerated lichen growth.

Sorry, but the tree is probably a goner. You can always try a root collar excavation and examination, but my gut tells me it is too late. If you want to try, I can give more help if you want.

Good luck!

[Zeus]

Here is a picture of a healthy root flare on some forest trees - note how the tree flares out at the bottom and you can see individual buttress (main order) roots. These main roots should be seen all around the tree and they form the basis of the network of finer roots that branch out from the tree. They also support the tree from stress in all directions, hence the 'buttress' term.



Now compare to your tree.

You might be able to gently remove some earth from around your tree and see how bad things are. If the flare isn't too deep and there aren't too many girdling roots, you might be able to prune them off and save the tree, but I doubt it.

It's a massive problem as poor nursery practices have spawned thousands of trees planted too deeply that are only now maturing and dying 'mysteriously'. Even in new subdivisions now, I see them being planted too deep and I think - in 20 years, that is going to be a sorry-looking place. You are better off transplanting a wild specimen and planting it ensuring it is at the exact same height as in the forest - where base, grade soil levels don't really change.

[KarTek]

Wow, thanks for the very informative reply! The tree is about 75% gone. I've been pruning the dying branches but I'll give a try to un-earthing the trunk. The tree is actually about 25 years old. It's only been showing signs of decline for about the last year or so.

I have a volunteer tree adjacent to this one and two more down the hill that I pulled up in balls from other volunteer root shoots and they are doing better each year. (As long as I keep the dang deer from eating the fresh young vegitation!)

My Oak trees in the back yard look like the ones in your picture.

Thanks again!

[Zeus]

Np, you're welcome. Glad you've got some offspring going to replace the old guy! It's probably a goner, but excavating might shed some light on things anyway.

Glad the oaks are doing well. That's one thing I really like about the more southern states - you guys have some impressive giant oaks all over the place. Up here, things grow slowly and really big trees are rare (except BC).

When I was a kid, I grew up in a really beautiful neighbourhood where the developer left much of the mature hardwood forest standing, and built the homes around them. Plenty of 100'+ sugar maples, beech and oak. That neighbourhood is now worth a fortune and the residents take a lot of pride and care with the natural environment. I had a huge sugar maple behind our house and I'd love to watch it through my window in the summer as a kid, especially when thunder storms would thrash it around.

So I guess all those good memories kinda turned me into a tree nut. I miss that neighbourhood and haven't seen many that compare, my Dad sure picked a winner in that place.

[Botnst]

Perfect, Zeus. That's redundant, right?

[SwampYankee]

Zeus-you've got to change your tag from Moderating, Eh? to Tree Doctor, Eh?

Thanks for that info. I've got a number of trees planted in our yard by a landscaper that I fear have been mis-installed thanks to your info. They aren't showing any signs of stress yet so I think I'll gently dig back some of that dirt and mulch that have been piled around the base for years and see what it looks like. I can almost guarantee that I would have done the same thing in the future.

I guess the saddest thing is that every year the town sends the tree crew out to spread some mulch around the bases of the trees on the town side of the sidewalks, invariably 4-6" deepand mounded up at the base. I know jack squat about trees (other than my ability at one time to draw them on a landscape design) but you'd like to think the town arborist would have some knowledge about them and the proper practices.

[Zeus]

Originally Posted by Botnst

Perfect, Zeus. That's redundant, right?

One tries...

[Zeus]

Originally Posted by SwampYankee

Zeus-you've got to change your tag from Moderating, Eh? to Tree Doctor, Eh?

Thanks for that info. I've got a number of trees planted in our yard by a landscaper that I fear have been mis-installed thanks to your info. They aren't showing any signs of stress yet so I think I'll gently dig back some of that dirt and mulch that have been piled around the base for years and see what it looks like. I can almost guarantee that I would have done the same thing in the future.

I guess the saddest thing is that every year the town sends the tree crew out to spread some mulch around the bases of the trees on the town side of the sidewalks, invariably 4-6" deepand mounded up at the base. I know jack squat about trees (other than my ability at one time to draw them on a landscape design) but you'd like to think the town arborist would have some knowledge about them and the proper practices.

Lol, maybe Tree Nut is more accurate.

Yeah, it is a big problem. The knowledge is only filtering slowly into the industry. Some so-called 'arborists' lack ISA certification, or they are not keeping up on current knowledge. I spoke with a major nursery near me and they were clueless about it. This was a nursery that grows from seeds - which is rare. Most cultivate limbs from mature trees onto donor root stalks and call them trees. The problem with their larger stock was the same thing - planted too deep. How can a tree grown from seed be planted too deep? It happens every time they move the tree. From seedling in a dish to larger seedling in a pot. Then seedling to small sapling in a field. Many nurseries have machines to plant the seedlings in the field and they often get planted too deep by the machine and then more dirt is added around them to support them. Then they are dug up and burlapped and sent home with the homeowner/landscaper and planted at the same height - far too deep. Then the problems don't show up for about 10-15 years, but they will show up in most cases.

When I buy a tree (which is rare, I prefer transplanting a wild sapling), I prepare the hole for it first. Then I place the entire root ball and earth from the pot into the hole and brush the earth away to find the root flare. This is critical. Finding that flare determines planting height. You want to plant it so that the flare is about an inch or so above grade, after lightly compacting the soil (so you will want it about 2" above grade when the earth is loose during planting). I also tend to check the roots quickly, straightening any that have curled up inside the pot. This is fine as long as you are careful not to damage the fine ends of the roots and you make sure they don't dry out. Since the tree will not have much support from its roots initially, it gets staked. The stakes are kept as loose as possible while still supporting the tree. The tree needs to be able to move so that it can grow strong roots in response to wind movement. Stake it too tight and it may not develop a strong enough support system.

There is no harm doing what you are suggesting - brushing away some of the dirt to try and ascertain how deep your trees were planted. Mulch around a tree is a good thing - it keeps moisture in the ground below it and combats weed growth. However, you want the mulch spread within the drip zone of the tree's canopy, and no deeper than a few inches at most. You want the area immediately around the trunk completely clear of any grass, earth or mulch. Exactly the opposite of those idiotic mulch volcanoes most landscaping companies seem to instinctively construct.

When you think about it, the grade of earth in a forest doesn't really change. Leaf litter and detritus can accumulate on the forest floor but that's it. No one adds layer after layer of earth to a forest floor like they do on home properties. So a tree in the forest always grows at the right height and it benefits from the nutrients and moisture that the decaying leaf litter provides. This layer also offers insulation both in the summer and winter. Suburban and urban trees compete with lawns and deal with compacted earth.

[Mistress]

Zeus- A man of many talents.....

[Pete Geither]

We had a beautiful 3 trunk white birch that I loved, even though it was the dirtiest tree I ever saw. When it became too tall for me to spray, even from my roof, I had a tree service come and spray it every year. Things were fine until they went to a systemic treatment,,, no more spraying. About 2 years later it died. Never again will I get sentimental over a tree. I still blame the tree service for it's demise though,,, am I wrong ? Tree was about 27 years old and 40 ft high.

[Dee8go]

There are very few questions that one cannot find an answer to here. Sometimes one can even find the CORRECT answers!

[Kpmurphy]

Zeus
I was helping a friend of mine dig up a stump from an oak tree that he planted several years ago. While I was digging up the stump I found the rope that held the roots together while planting the tree. The roots were all bound up by the rope after 10 years. My friend was amassed, He said that the rope should of rotted away, that’s wait the people said when they planted the tree. He cut the tree down because he planted it in the wrong spot 10 years ago. Now the other trees that were planted about the same time do not look so good.
The question is if you do plant a tree that is already 10ft tall, do you need to remove all the material that is holding the root system together before planting?
I am about to do something in my yard that is why I am asking
Thanks
Kevin

[Stoneseller]

I tend to plant trees perhaps too high compared to what I see generally done.
I've put in a lot of 3" + caliper cherry, maple, dawn redwoods, etc, that are in a ball from 30" to 36" diameter. With this size I typically have the top of the ball about 6" higher than existing grade, and kind of build up enriched soil around the ball out to maybe 6 foot diameter.
My success rate so far is 100%.

[Zeus]

Originally Posted by Kpmurphy

Zeus
The question is if you do plant a tree that is already 10ft tall, do you need to remove all the material that is holding the root system together before planting?
I am about to do something in my yard that is why I am asking
Thanks
Kevin

Absolutely. The vendor may or may not know what the rope is made of (especially if they got it from a supply nursery) - could be synthetic, and that is a disaster. Regardless, I would remove anything covering the roots before planting, be it burlap (can also be semi-synthetic), wire cage or rope.

If the tree has been balled for a long time, the roots can be bound up. I would *gingerly* spread the roots before planting.

Prepare the plant site by digging a very wide hole, and not as deep as you may think - just enough so the flare sits a couple of inches above grade. With two people, one holding the tree and supporting it, remove all rootball packaging gently and spread the roots out very carefully into the planting hole. Then immediately cover everything up with dirt. As long as you are gentle with the roots, the tree will be fine. Don't worry about the rootball breaking apart and losing some dirt. Stake as loosely as possible while still providing adequate support and apply slow but deep waterings.

When buying a new tree, it is tempting to get as big a tree as possible. However, the bigger the tree the more of its root mass will have been cut off. Sometimes a smaller tree with a healthier transplanted root mass will recover faster than a larger tree, and can actually catch up and surpass the bigger tree over the years. 10'-12' is as big as I would go with a balled and burlapped/cage tree. If the tree is planted right and is healthy, the first growing season should be slow with minimal leaf out (i.e. not a lot of leaves, and smaller than average). It should really take off come the second growing season. If it doesn't, that is when you tend to suspect problems.

Hope this helps.