Hi all! Anyone have any insight on why for the last two seasons my nankings flower profusely and then weeks later all the branches defoliate and look dead, zero fruit production and then by early June, regrow leaves from the base of the dead branches and crown of bush?
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I’m guessing here, but I do know that you can cut nanking cherry branches and force them to bloom once they’ve gotten the necessary chill hours. My guess is something (probably an insect) is causing the branches to die and the plant is pushing new growth below the damage. (the blooming stems are just doing what they normally would do).
Any chance you have borers or scale on the main trunk(s) of the plant? Have you sprayed anything (insecticide or fungicide) since last leaf-drop?
As I said, its just a guess.
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that happened to mine for a few years then the 3rd. spring they didnt leaf out.. i think it was poor drainage that killed them but i dont know for sure.
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Around here they are often cursed by verticillium wilt, or so I’ve had it explained to me. They seem to recover usually here.
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Mine did the same thing this year.
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Looks like freeze damage, they’ll do that if they are hit hard enough mid bloom
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Negative on the freeze damage, no borers or sap oozing, they recovered the last two times and did this again for the third year, not sure if I should get rid of them and start fresh or not, no wilt either, sprayed with an anti fungal and surround after petal fall. Just stumped.
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Did it rain during bloom? Nanking cherry is very susceptible to blossom and twig blight. If it was wet during bloom that would be my guess. They usually recover but can even succumb to it.
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Possibly soggy roots during the Spring? I’d remove all that dead wood too when you get a chance.
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Super wet spring, I’m guessing that’s it. I’m on sandy loam with phenomenal drainage so the roots are fine I’d surmise. Dead wood trimmer right after the photo. I guess ill give them another season and see if they’re worth taking up my limited space
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I guess that’s a form of Monilia shoot blight. I gave up on growing Prunus tomentosa because of this. You can spray in the future or just give up on this species too. Seems likte it does not suit your growing site.