Dying Cherry Tree

Can anyone help? I have a Japanese miniature flowering cherry tree that was planted about 5 years ago - it has flourished every year until now. I noticed about 6 weeks ago the base of the trunk looked badly scratched and it was leaking brown gooey stuff. Now the leaves have gone brown and it seems to be dying. It is in full sunshine from about noon every day and it has been very hot lately. Is it diseased? Does anyone have any ideas? Any ideas gratefully received!!

 

Hi there. That description does not sound at all good. Hope someone can come up with a potential cause, but for me it sounds like a fungus of some kind - like a root rot fungus. But I know little about tree diseases except the common.

Won't do it any harm I think to give it a dose of Amyllatox (? spelling).

 

Thanks for your thoughts. I have been to the garden centre and it looks like root rot - apparently its going round Jersey at the moment - nothing to be done unfortunately. Anyway at least I know what its all about!