Fire Blight?

Help! Can anyone advise? We have an ornamental cherry in our garden which looked a bit sick last year, with some of the new growth dying back. This year it is much worse, with sticky ooze coming from cankers on the twigs and a lot of dead, brown foliage amongst the green. Even worse, I notice that this year several other trees are affected in the same way - our apple, plumb, an Elder and several mock orange trees all display similar symptoms. Some of the trees have cracked and split bark, which easily breaks away in chunks. These are mature trees which give the garden much of its character and which I have known since my early childhood. It really would be tragic to lose them and I'm really worried. Internet research on the symptoms has led me to think the disease might be fire blight. Is there anything I can do to save the trees? If it isn't fire blight, are there any other diseases it's likely to be? We live in south Cumbria.

 

Good evening Growbag and welcome to the site. The problem sounds more like Bacterial Canker that Fireblight. Post some pics of the problem so that we can be sure.

 

Thanks for reply. I have tried to post some pictures in my album - titled "Fire Blight?" I'm not the most computer literate, so not sure if this has worked or if anyone will be able to see them! If you can, any further thoughts would be very welcome.

 

Hi Growbag

Good news: Fireblight (bacterium: Erwinia amylovora) does not affect stone fruits such as cherries and plums.

Not so good news: What your trees are probably suffering from is blossom wilt/wither tip (fungus: Monilinia laxa)

Unfortunately there's no cure for the infection, as once the fungus has taken hold inside the tree it's well and truly wedged in there. Aesthetcially, you can prune out the dead and dying branches, but there's not a lot else you can do. The tree will deal with the infection as well as it can.

 

Thanks a lot - I'm quite encouraged by this. So it's possible the trees might be able to survive an infection of this fungus, if that's what it is? I would hate to lose them. I suppose pruning back the obviously infected branches and lesions / cankers is the way to go? Again - thanks for the reply.

 

Sorry to elbow in on this one. Can you tell me what fire blight is please.

 

Growbag

If the tree is otherwise healthy and has good vitality then yes, it may weather the infection, or at least live a long enough life with it. I could write another article about how trees live and deal with fungal infections, but I'm afraid that it may bore, more than enlighten. Pruning can be undertaken, but please pay attention to correct pruning techniques, so as to leave the tree with a good chance of sealing the wounds itself.

Sheal: Wikipedia page re: fireblight