This ‘Blenheim’ has not grown for many years. It’s pretty well worthless and I’m ready to chop it down.
I’d like to know if it needs to be burned?; What I may replant in the same spot?; Or if I should keep it?
The other diagnosis I’ve come up with is I recall rabbits did a lot of damage early on and maybe the tree is simply deformed from all those wounds and calloused over them but is weak. Regardless I need a positive ID and what I should do about it. The ‘funk’ is evident from the ground up to maybe 2.5’ and then the rest of the tree is w/o blemish.
If this was due to bacterial canker, the decay process would likely be still going on — gummosis, sour smell, blackened wood. From the photo, the rabbit damage seems more likely. If you cut the tree, look at the heartwood — canker on this scale would produce significant darkening/blackening inside. Pseudomonas syringae is likely present in the soil anyway, so if you plant another stone fruit tree on this spot, the key is to protect it from animal damage and avoid pruning in rainy weather.
