Prunus virginiana 'Canada Red' question

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Shelly221 Denver, CO(Zone 5b) Jul 17, 2006

My Uncle and Aunt recently moved, and have taken their Canada Red with them. Its about 15 feet tall, and was taken out by backhoe. The tree is suffering now, and "doesnt look good". My Uncle has asked me to ask if it is ok to cut back some of the tree now, to help it become established. He is under the impression you shouldnt cut it back until fall. IF he leaves the tree the way it is, he is worried it will continue dying back.
Should he cut off only the suffering parts, or should he do a more severe cut. (If all works out) will the tree fill back in? Should he cut it at all?
I would appreciate any info you can give me.

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Shelly221 Denver, CO(Zone 5b) Jul 17, 2006

doing a quick bump

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StarhillForest Illinois, IL(Zone 5b) Jul 17, 2006

You might be asking the wrong crowd. I didn't reply yesterday because I don't think very highly of them and didn't want to come across as being negative. I know some other folks don't like them either. Gaudy color, temperamental about transplanting, insect magnet, brittle, short lived, etc.

If I had one and I actually liked it for some reason, I would leave it alone and let it solve its own problems before doing any pruning of live wood. Mulch it, be sure it was planted with a good rootball and not too deeply (and not during the growing season), water it during droughts, and wish it well.

But if it dies, I suggest you consider using a different tree to replace it.

Guy S.

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Shelly221 Denver, CO(Zone 5b) Jul 17, 2006

LOL thank you Guy for answering. There is obviously some attachment to the tree, because they hauled it 400 miles. I maybe should have just put that a tree needed help. Hmm lots of things running through my head here.
I truely appreciate your suggestions.

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StarhillForest Illinois, IL(Zone 5b) Jul 17, 2006

400 miles, huh? Well, I guess even a putrid red-leaf chokecherry deserves to be loved by somebody, as long as it doesn't have to be me!

OK, let's start a checklist:
1. Adequate rootball, dug in the dormant season?
2. Planted no deeper than it grew originally?
3. Healthy prior to transplanting, or already going downhill?
4. Proper mulching, 2-3 inches deep over the entire planting hole?
5. Watering being done properly, but not to excess?
6. Sun/shade exposure?
7. Borers, scale, or other cryptic insect problems?
8. Mouse or rabbit girdling at ground level?
9. Soil toxicity problem from herbicide, spilled fuel, etc.?

Others probably will be adding to this checklist now that we have some momentum building here. By the way, I do like the natural form of P. virginiana -- just not that uglyyyyy red one!

Guy S.

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Shelly221 Denver, CO(Zone 5b) Jul 17, 2006

Thank you Guy. My Uncle and I are communicating via email, I have sent the questions on to him to answer.
I appreciate it.

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