Cherry tree issues…

[ChevronB19]

We have this (see pic).

It’s beautiful. It flowers and looks incredible, but over the last 5 years the blossom period has dropped from maybe 6 weeks to 2.

Any ideas? We are in Cumbria, so weather can be erratic, but others (I don’t think of the same species) seem to retain their blossom longer, and as mentioned the blossom period seems to be reducing.

[prand]

Lovely tree.
How old is it? Sadly, I've found that ornamental cherries really don't last long, 25-35 years. So it may just be reaching old age. Root or trunk rot can also be a problem. Judging by the trees on our road that have blown down or been chopped down by our council over the last few years, by the time symptoms are obvious it's often too late.

Would be well worth making sure roots are not oversaturated, but mulching and feeding around the roots could bring it a new lease of life.

[trashbat]

Six weeks seems like a lot to me - most ornamental cherries around here are briefer than that. Are you sure it lasted that long in previous years?

[netherfield]

Three in the back of the house, not out yet, but lucky if they last a fortnight.

[Little Lofty]

Tonights TV weather report was from a park in London that has loads of flowering cherry trees, the weatherman commented that they are around 50 years, which apparently is very unusual as they often only last around 20 years, I wasn’t aware of that until tonight, 20 years may be a bit short but they obviously do have a shortish lifespan.

[trashbat]

That's right but tree lifespan isn't like human or animal lifespan - they could live indefinitely under the right circumstances, so outcomes are a lot more variable. Lots of cherry trees you see about the place will be much older than 20.

[Silvanus]

trashbat said:

That's right but tree lifespan isn't like human or animal lifespan - they could live indefinitely under the right circumstances, so outcomes are a lot more variable. Lots of cherry trees you see about the place will be much older than 20.

Trees don't live indefinitely, a common misconception. Cherry trees of any variety genuinely don't have particularly long life spans in tree terms. Long-lived cherries are incredibly rare.

[AB]

We're lucky if ours last 4 weeks, I reckon they'll be done in 3 this time round. Looks lovely spread all over the path though.

[trashbat]

Silvanus said:

Trees don't live indefinitely, a common misconception. Cherry trees of any variety genuinely don't have particularly long life spans in tree terms. Long-lived cherries are incredibly rare.

I didn't say they *do* live indefinitely, I said they could. Eventually disease or damage etc will get them, but this is different from say humans who do die of old age in a more predictable way. Cherry trees are just more susceptible to diseases etc and so we see this outcome.

[ChevronB19]

Hmm, I think it’s about 25 years old…

[Silvanus]

trashbat said:

Silvanus said:

Trees don't live indefinitely, a common misconception. Cherry trees of any variety genuinely don't have particularly long life spans in tree terms. Long-lived cherries are incredibly rare.

I didn't say they *do* live indefinitely, I said they could. Eventually disease or damage etc will get them, but this is different from say humans who do die of old age in a more predictable way. Cherry trees are just more susceptible to diseases etc and so we see this outcome.

Could is also incorrect. Many are capable of incredibly long lives, but none are cable of living indefinitely. Off topic so will leave it there.