Assessing Freeze Damage on Yoshino Cherry Tree

Situation

Warm March induced flowering, then 26°F nights in mid-April killed new growth. No leaves yet.

Scratch test: Scrape bark on upper twigs. Green = alive; brown = dead at that point. Work downward until green found.
Wait 1 month for re-leafing if green tissue present.
Prune dead wood only after new leaves emerge to avoid cutting live branches.

Don't panic—cherry trees often re-leaf after spring freeze. Use scratch test to guide pruning timing.

Trees: Weeping Cherry (Not Willow) Waterlogging: Prune Dead, No Fungicide; Flowering Cherry Decline: Scratch Test for Life and Pruning Strategy; Cherry Tree Root Damage from Pool: Prune Dead, Fertilize; Cherry Tree Root Cut During Construction: Likely Dead; Half a Weeping Cherry Tree Not Leafing Out: Causes and Steps; Cherry Tree Decline After Construction Root Damage; Cherry Tree Growth Rate and Fast-Growing Alternatives; Where to Buy Borer Treatments Near Boston; Dog-Damaged Weeping Willow: Will It Sprout Back?; Vole Damage at the Base of a Cherry Tree

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