Bark peeling off chokecherry tree, pic

[S Mc]

With this being a Canadian (Red) chokecherry, you will have suckers. That is a given; and in that respect your nursery man was correct. This problem is being and will continue to be exacerbated by the incorrect planting.

With the height of the top of the cage visible, you have just reached the top of the ball not the root flare.

My concerns are the main root system may have been terminally compromised and, if so, the main tree is living on stored energy and the adventitious root system. If so, removing this system, which is what we would normally suggest, may hasten its demise.

The adventitious root system will continue to live without the main root system and, if the main tree does succumb, you can restructure with what you are left with if a clump tree is satisfactory to you.

A side note: There appears to be webbing in the crotches approx half way up the canopy. If these are eastern tent caterpillars, you should remove the web. The larvae feed on foliage and one or two colonies can completely defoliate a tree. Be sure before removing any dead limbs that they are, in fact, dead and not just defoliated.

There are a couple of new sprouts forming on the trunk which could develop into nice branches so I would leave those for now.


Sylvia

 

[gbig2]

Thanks Sylvia. I'll pull that webbing off. Well, I guess I'll just let the suckers grow then and see how the tree does. We'll see how it does through the summer and take a look in the Fall to see if it's gotten worse or better.
I'm going to bury all those roots again tonight before it gets dark. I'm assuming I should make sure I don't bury the tree deep like it was before, but just enough to cover those roots? I'll make sure those branches are dead before I take them off.
Thanks again...

 

[CORNFEDMIDGET]

Chokecherries make a very fine jelly. We harvest them from wild trees in the high plains in late summer. If your tree would ever produce enough fruit, you would be in for a treat.

wife harvesting wild chokecherry with the little one asleep.

 

[treeseer]

Beautiful harvesting pic!

Most of those suckers seem to be on stem-girdling roots. cut them off--maybe some now and some in september, per Sylvia's observation.

Bad news for your back--you are not done digging!

And pulleez, cover up those roots that are not near the trunk!