Cherry tree - leaves turning brown

I have a couple of mature cherry blossom trees in my hedge and have just noticed that a lot of the leaves are turning brown - not on every branch but on on many of them. I have another cherry blossom tree in another part of the garden (about 30 feet from the two I just mentioned) and that one is fine, although it is a larger tree with a much thicker trunk. The two affected ones may be the "weeping cherry" variety (the branches droop!), as I think is the larger one.

On the affected tree I've also noticed knobbly "growths" on some of the branches where they fork, but not specifically on affected branches.

I live in south west Wales and it has been pretty dry for quite some time so is it likely this is just down to a lack of water? I'm guessing it wouldn't be very practical to water a couple of mature cherry trees ..........

Should they recover once they get an adequate amount of water? Obiously the dead leaves won't grow back this year, but assuming a good supply of rain will they be okay next year?

 

It could be a fungal disease known as cherry leaf spot. If you could add some pics it would be better for an accurate ID. One telltale sign is that leaves are often covered in shotholes and look like they've been blasted with a shotgun.

Flowering cherries are somewhat short-lived compared to most trees and pics of the knobly growths would also help. If parasitical fungi have taken told, it can be disastrous for the trees.

I'd recommend pruning off any visible dead wood now (as this is where the leaf spot spores generate from) and give the area around the base of each tree a damn good watering for a couple of hours for a few days with a sprinkler or hose pipe slowly trickling away on the ground. This Spring has been ridiculously dry so far!

 

Thanks for the reply.

I see no signs of any cherry leaf spot, all of the good green leaves look fine with no signs of any problems - it seems to be a marked transition from a good green leaf to a dead brown leaf.

Here's a photo of both:

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g319/Dalek99999/P5131271.jpg

As for the knobbly "growths" on points where branches fork, here's a couple of photos:

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g319/Dalek99999/P5131273.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g319/Dalek99999/P5131274.jpg

These growths only appear on the very lowest branches though that are very close to the ground, so I'm wondering if weeds, nettles, etc have reduced airflow and so caused an overgrowth of a fungus or moss and lichen (there is moss and lichen here and there on the tree).

 

The amount of algae, lichen and moss in the pics woulld suggest some branches are in a deeply shaded, damp area which will elevate infection levels for less robust trees.

The knobly bits look like canker... unfortunately. The trees may be saved if pruned of all infected brances in July/August time. Remove any rubbing, crossing crossing branches, twin leaders, dead wood to create an open framework that circulates airflow and keeps moisture on the leaves and brances to a minimum. Get rid of the lower branches too as heavy lichen growths on trees rarely seems to bode well.

 

Thanks very much, the trees have indeed managed to create their own damp, shaded area (which is also partly "helped" by a hedge on one side). I'll get to work pruning them as you suggest in July/August.