wild cherry tree disease, is there a cure?

My wild cherry tree's leaves are falling off and the trunk is weeping / bark peeling. Is this a lost cause, or is there something I can do for it? The birds love this tree. I hope it is not too late to save.

The tree obviously had a wound some time ago and as a result (I am guessing) disease has got into the damaged part, when I say the tree has been damaged it could have been rubbed by animal, gnawed by say woodpecker or the like off, or ages ago, there , could have been crosses branches rubbing against each other, but more likely, a branch was removed and the cut allowed disease to get into the trunk under the bark.

Depending on the type of Cherry, some are short lived trees compared with some of our other garden tree's, I have lost a couple of wild Cherries last 10 years and they were easy around 30 years old.
I would suggest you take a sharp knife and scrape away some of the brown stuff and take it in an enclosed bag along to your local district office who could possibly do a proper test for you so you will be best advised how or what to do with this large wound (if anything CAN be done) it may be that you can remove all the seeping sap and use a paint you can use on wounds on tree's, when you walk through arboretums there are tree's recovering with either a painted substance or they have a wrap of some kind to help protect a wound until it has healed and the wrap will be remove.
I would think someone like Diane-K may pick the thread up and just might have a better knowledge of tree problems over your way as most tree's you have grow here too but sometimes the fungus, insect that damage or even the methods used for such can vary from USA and UK, the main thing for you is to get the right help for your tree that gives so much pleasure to you and the birds.
All I can add is, IF the tree cant be saved, make sure you can fit a like for like type into your garden so in a couple of years to come the enjoyment can return.
Good luck JulieQ, hope your tree can be saved.

There are several diseases that can attack cherry trees (both flowering and fruiting types). Some of them will cause cankers or distortions in the bark. Some affect the leaves. Your tree might have 2 or more problems going on.
Once a disease is established in the main trunk like this there is not much hope of saving the tree. It will continue to weaken and die back over a period of several years, but basically, it is dead.
If this is from an injury, then disease organisms may have entered. If the wound is new then there are things you could do to discourage diseases from entering. This looks like it has been going on a while, though.

Take the pictures and some samples to the local department of agriculture or extension office and see if they can properly ID it. Samples should include some of whatever is oozing from the tree, but as fresh as possible. Scrape away some of the older gunk and collect fresh stuff the next day or so while it is fresh.
Some diseases linger in the soil and you will not want to plant a cherry or close relative in that soil when you remove this tree.

Plum and Prune are closely related and have just about the same range of diseases and pests.

I was afraid of that. The tree has four small trunks, two of which are looking bad.

If I remove the two that are oozing and weeping and paint the new cut will the other two trunks be OK?

JulieQ, your plan re painting the damaged area is to my mind set, worth a try, what have you got to loose by doing that, I feel the same as Diane K that the whole tree is about dead anyway, I would try remove, burn and protect the rest of the trunks when your removing the wet weeping area as you don't want that to spread to any other areas, just try wrap say a large garbage polly bag around the good 2 remaining trunks, then you wont splash any diseased bits onto the areas your trying to save.
The tree will never ever look the same again so don't be surprised at that for a couple of years after you remove the damaged trunks, AND please burn or take that trunk away or you could spread the damaged / disease to other areas in your neighbourhood.

I think what Diane is saying also in so many words is take your time to do the job properly and in the end you may have some luck.

I admire you for trying to save your tree as now-a-days, all you here or see is folks only though is to cut and burn.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Best regards, WeeNel.

Probably worth a try.
Protect the parts you want to keep, wrapping them with a garbage bag to avoid splashes is good while you are cutting into the diseased wood. Make very certain you do not injure that parts you are keeping.
Paint the cuts with a good plant fungicide, not black tar, paint, or anything like it.