Flowering ornamental plum tree question

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flowermaiden2 Saint Maries, ID Jun 03, 2019

Our ornamental plum tree bloomed this Spring, after our having planted it only a year ago. Great sign that it's healthy. My question is, it now has a bushy load of bronze-colored leaves on all of its branches except for one, which has hardly any leaves on it, at all. Should I lop off that nearly bare branch so that the tree's energies can go toward its fuller, leafier parts. That leafless branch sticks out by itself and is quite conspicuous.

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kolomikta Somerville, MA Jun 04, 2019

Is the tree grafted? Did the bare branch sprout from below the graft?

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flowermaiden2 Saint Maries, ID Jun 05, 2019

I have no idea. I'll have to look.

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flowermaiden2 Saint Maries, ID Jun 05, 2019

It's a Krauter Vesuvius ornamental plum, puts on pale, pastel pink flowers. This season, it bloomed for the first time since we planted it in our garden. How long the nursery had it before we purchased it, I don't know.

Grafting? I'll get back to you on that.

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kolomikta Somerville, MA Jun 28, 2019

If the tree is grafted, you must cut off any branches that sprout below the graft, because they are from a different species of tree, and will eventually overwhelm the entire tree.

I am unable to find out whether the tree is grafted. However, according to the website of missouribotanicalgarden.org, which is excellent, the tree is susceptible to a lot of problems, so I'd cut off the branch. Here is a quote from the website:

"Susceptible to a large number of insect and disease pests. Potential diseases include black knot, leaf spot, die back, leaf curl, powdery mildew, root rot and fireblight. Potential insects include borers, aphids, scale, leafhoppers, caterpillars, tent caterpillars and Japanese beetles. Spider mites may also be troublesome."

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