Grafted Cherry Tree’s Graft Is Splitting and Peeling

Question

My 12-year-old grafted weeping cherry tree has the bark ‘peeling’ back at the graft site. It almost looks like the graft is separating and it doesn’t look healthy. In addition, it flowered less this spring than it did in previous years. Finally, we always have a bird nest every year at the site and this year we didn’t have a nest. I now wonder if the robins thought the tree was ‘sick’ and didn’t nest there because of this problem. Please help me cure my tree.

Answer 1

Your weeping cherry is rejecting the graft. You can try securing it with tree tape but it's most likely a wasted effort. You can learn more about grafting at: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/can-grafted-trees-revert-to-their-root-stock.htm