extending the life of cherry blossom trees & replacing them with younger versions when they age out - Ask Extension
I have five beautiful ornamental cherry trees that bloom profusely and without fail in the late spring each year, they line the street on the western...
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extending the life of cherry blossom trees & replacing them with younger versions when they age out #878881
Asked July 26, 2024, 11:43 AM EDT
I have five beautiful ornamental cherry trees that bloom profusely and without fail in the late spring each year, they line the street on the western edge of my suburban yard and add a bit of privacy to my 100 year old country french stucco house. I have lived here for only 30 years but I can see that they are getting near the end of their life cycle because the bottom branches are dying off. I hope to continue to live here for another ten years or so if I can continue to shield my view from the increasing traffic of the streets that surround my property.
which brings me to my question: how can I find out what kinds of younger trees should I look toward buying to intersperse with the aging trees so that they can begin to replace the ole ones as they die out.
Prince George's County Maryland
Expert Response
Although ornamental cherry trees tend to be comparatively short-lived due to their vulnerability to multiple pest, disease, and stress issues, the tree pictured appears to be in decent shape for its age. Still, it's wise to plan on their eventual replacement.
If new trees would be located close enough to existing trees that their canopy will be shaded, that can limit your options for tree species to use, or the young trees (if they are also cherries) just won't flower well (if at all) and may grow more slowly or lankily until they later receive enough direct sun once those shading trees are gone. Cherries grow pretty rapidly when young, though, so it might be tricky to get them to fit between/under existing canopies in that case, and root competition might be significant the older they get before the prior generation of trees is removed.
If you opt to use other tree species, adaptable candidates for semi-shade and full sun (or mostly-sun) include Pawpaw (Asimina triloba, which especially appreciates shading when young, and can handle sun when it's established and older), Serviceberry (Amelanchier), American Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus), Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis), Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana), and Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida). All of the above have showy flowers except the Pawpaw, whose blooms are decorative but hard to see at a distance because they are dark burgundy in color. All are also native, which may provide more benefits for wildlife.
If you prefer to replant flowering cherries, there are dozens of cultivars in existence, though only a handful tend to be widely available. Some, like 'Kwanzan', are not very prone to contracting Cherry Shot Hole disease, but can contract Brown Rot. In comparison, we don't often see Brown Rot on 'Yoshino', but often do see Cherry Shot Hole, so susceptibility varies, and no varieties are resistant to all potential issues at once.
If the screening height only needs to be just above eye level in the yard, then perhaps a shrub that matures in the 6 to 10-foot range would suffice instead of additional trees. In that case, assuming deer browsing isn't a major issue, there are a number of options for species tolerant of some shade and, eventually, mostly sun. Candidates could include various Viburnum species, Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), and Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata, which is deciduous and spineless).
Miri
If new trees would be located close enough to existing trees that their canopy will be shaded, that can limit your options for tree species to use, or the young trees (if they are also cherries) just won't flower well (if at all) and may grow more slowly or lankily until they later receive enough direct sun once those shading trees are gone. Cherries grow pretty rapidly when young, though, so it might be tricky to get them to fit between/under existing canopies in that case, and root competition might be significant the older they get before the prior generation of trees is removed.
If you opt to use other tree species, adaptable candidates for semi-shade and full sun (or mostly-sun) include Pawpaw (Asimina triloba, which especially appreciates shading when young, and can handle sun when it's established and older), Serviceberry (Amelanchier), American Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus), Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis), Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana), and Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida). All of the above have showy flowers except the Pawpaw, whose blooms are decorative but hard to see at a distance because they are dark burgundy in color. All are also native, which may provide more benefits for wildlife.
If you prefer to replant flowering cherries, there are dozens of cultivars in existence, though only a handful tend to be widely available. Some, like 'Kwanzan', are not very prone to contracting Cherry Shot Hole disease, but can contract Brown Rot. In comparison, we don't often see Brown Rot on 'Yoshino', but often do see Cherry Shot Hole, so susceptibility varies, and no varieties are resistant to all potential issues at once.
If the screening height only needs to be just above eye level in the yard, then perhaps a shrub that matures in the 6 to 10-foot range would suffice instead of additional trees. In that case, assuming deer browsing isn't a major issue, there are a number of options for species tolerant of some shade and, eventually, mostly sun. Candidates could include various Viburnum species, Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), and Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata, which is deciduous and spineless).
Miri
