Causes of Gummosis in Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)

November 3, 2025 Ishani Mishra

FNR-229-W: Gummosis in black cherry is caused by a combination of factors that injure the tree, including physical damage, insect activity (especially from bark beetles and cambium miners), fungal infections (like Cytospora canker) and environmental stress. These factors damage the cambium or wound the bark, causing the tree to produce a jelly-like sap as a defensive response to seal the injury and prevent further infection.

Keywords: tree bark, disease, lumber, hardwood, wood products

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