Leaf Holes

[Matheous]

We have a flowering cherry tree in a large teracotta container-not sure of the exact variety but it has a dark wine cooured leaf and I have noticed quite a lot of holes eaten into them.....What is the likely culprit ? (It has past it's flowering period)

[Thunderbird+]

Hi Matheous, If the holes are small round and all over the leaves that first seen as brown patches that fall away leaving the holes, then I think it could be 'shothole' aka elfshot which is caused by a fungus (Stigmina carpophila)

The best way to treat this is to increase the trees vigour by feeding mulching and watering, if no improvement is seen spray with ' Bordeaux mixture' in the summer.

Ps Larger hole mainly confined to the edges may indicate caterpillars. Hope this helps. Tbird+

[Kim A]

If the holes just appear, without the brown patches that Thunderbird mentions, you may have vine weevils. these are very slow moving, dull coloured b@@s@rds that tend to lay their grubs in your most precious plants and then decimate them. you can get rid of them, to a certain extent with constant vigilance and squashing, plus watering in a nematode solution.

Good luck!

[Matheous]

Thanks for the worrying answers....I shall further investigate weather permitting.....