Knowledgebase

sour cherry tree #906310

Asked June 18, 2025, 4:33 PM EDT

this is the third summer at this house with a cherry tree. year one we had just moved in and the cherrys were ripe and the entire tree was full of perfect cherries, last year we lost them all to a fungus. this year I stray twice for fungus and we now we have the combination of problems. I have photos of each a few of the cherries have the same fungus as last year alot of the cherries have a canalope skin types of textrue on part of the fruit and some cherries are chracking

Hennepin County Minnesota

Expert Response

Hi Jessie, 

Thanks for reaching out, and sorry to hear about your cherry tree! You're right in that it does appear that you have brown rot, and it seems to have persisted despite your fungicide applications. Here is a link to the UMN Extension article with more information: https://extension.umn.edu/plant-diseases/brown-rot-stone-fruit

It is important to make sure that you are following all of the steps under the "How to Manage Brown Rot" section in that link -- including keeping a clean orchard and pruning out any diseased wood. Any applications of fungicides work best when applied together with sanitation measures. There are types of fungicides listed at the bottom of the article. Those would be helpful to compare to what you sprayed this year. 

When applying fungicides, remember to always follow the label directions attached to the fungicide container you are using - the label is the law.

Finally, you may wish to contact a Certified Arborist for a more in-depth evaluation. They will be able to look at the tree for bacterial or fungal issues, as well as taking into consideration any environmental issues that are difficult to tell from a photo. https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/how-hire-tree-care-professional

I hope this helps! 

An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 18, 2025, 6:50 PM EDT

Loading ...