Cherry Tree question from Jeremy:

I am reaching out for some advice on a Taiwan Cherry Tree that I purchased a couple of years ago.

I have done one thing wrong for sure and possibly another. When I planted the tree I used a tree stake and kept it tied too long or possibly too tight. Now the tree is about 4-5 feet tall and at the very base it has a strange growth and no strength at all.

I am trying to see if there is any way that I can save it at this point. The other error that I might have made is planting it in the same area as an old oak tree used to be. I am worried the left over root system the oak may have not allowed the new tree to root properly, but I am not sure about that.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Response from Master Gardener:

I assume by your description, the tree is still living above the point where it is tied to the stake. By saying it has “no strength”, it sounds like you still need a stake, so refasten it to the stake at another place, preferably with a stretchier material, otherwise watch and retie it frequently to avoid the tourniquet effect.

Does the bulge ooze anything? Is it completely covered with bark or is quite a bit missing? Not sure what that would be without seeing a photo. At 2 years old, it seems like it should be more than 4 or 5 feet high by now. Are there abundant leaves? Typically you want to eventually trim off the bottom leaves & branches up to 4 or 5 feet from the ground to be able to walk under it. But, for better stiffness for now, if there’s plenty of foliage, you could choose to cut the top 6 to 12 inches of tree off. If the tree is healthy, you should have plenty of new growth this year.

I wouldn’t be concerned about the oak roots. Unless the old roots are supporting some above ground growth, they aren’t robbing the cherry tree. It would be rare if diseased oak roots would adversely affect the Taiwan cherry.

Thanks for asking for help. Please keep us informed of your progress. Good luck!

Wayne