I've had a yoshino for 12 years now and I've never had borers. Two years ago I had borers on one of my Japanese maples and I sprayed my yoshino just to be on the safe side.

He's right about the Bradford bears but not so sure about the Leland cypress and the yoshino. My experience has proved otherwise.

mimi,

with yoshino i'd be more concerned with asian ambrosia beetle than borers. i just lost a yoshino to ambrosia beetle, and it's WASN'T PRETTY! most borers (and ambrosia beetle) attack weakened trees. they know which trees are weakened because they bloom or leaf out later than healthy trees. best defense is to site the tree properly and care for it well enough that it does not get stressed. until the tree passes about 2" in caliper, i'd soak the trunk with insecticide in late march/early may just to be on the safe side and again the first of june for the japanese beetles (they ate the leaves of my cherry).

BTW, i am replacing my lost tree with none other than another yoshino cherry. once they get established and the span of the branches shades the trunk, these pests are less of a worry because they prefer a trunk in the sun (warmer for them and the larvae).

best of luck to you!!

angela

You should be able to find Yoshino Cherries at HD or Lowe's for much less than Classic Gardens or any other local nursery. My parents have a 20+ year-old Yoshino in Atlanta that is humongous!

I have seen some windthrown Leyland Cypress, but there are risks with almost every plant, I suppose. One thing about Leyland Cypress is that I don't think many people realize how huge these get. It seems they caught on in Atlanta a little earlier than here, and I have seen some over there that are skyscrapers. LOL.

Dave is so right. You must give them some room. Mine are 50 to 60 ft tall. Check out the "Gazebo Project" album & look in the background. Betty

Here is a link that might be useful: My Garden Pics

Thanks, my GW friends. I try to do my "homework" before I spend larger $$$ on plants, trees, etc. and I thought I had sort of entered early Alzheimer's and was not understanding what I was reading! We are a little late getting trees in the ground but I am hoping with proper care, these trees will make it - once we find them!
Betty, your gazebo is wonderful and WOW on the size of the Leylands in the background. Ours were small to begin with so after 3 years, they are only about 6 ft. tall. And thankfully, they are spaced to grow big - although I didn't know they got THAT big!
Thanks for the encouragement and advice.
Mimi

Betty, your garden is lovely! If you don't mind, I would like to know how far apart your leylands are planted.

MimiCarol, I ordered 12 Leylandi Cypress trees in 1992 to use as a privacy border. I have lost all except 3 to cypress bud borer. Also they do most certainly blow over. I had a tree service come out and look at mine and he said they had to be planted in a shallow hole and mound the dirt up around the rootball. Well, it was too late for them. They also had very ugly brown patches that appeared on some of the limbs.

Well, the nursery is right on all counts....but we wouldn't be able to plant anything if we avoided every plant with known problems. If I were running a garden center, I would 'probably' sell those plants, but I would try very hard to educate the customer.

If you were to take a drive around my neighborhood, you might change your mind about the Bradfords. Many of the properties have well established pears that were obviously planted several years ago, maybe as much as 7 or 8 (or more). Most of them have begun the breaking apart process; and finding huge piles of Bradford Pear debris along the curb is routine. Unfortunately, people plant these trees as a focal point in the front yard, making them an eyesore and even a danger when the splitting begins.

But, all of the plants you mentioned should be readily found at any of the big box stores or garden center outlets.

Bradford pears split so bad during storms. Keep them judiciously pruned and the canopies raised.

Yoshino cherry trees are susceptible to borers. I lost two after 16 years and another after 8 years. I just replaced them and will spray with lime sulfur from here on out.

Leyland cypress grow knees, so be careful where you place them.

Mimi Carol, if you haven't located any yet, it may be best to wait until Fall. I imagine the HDs and Lowe's will have more at that time. Not to mention with this dry weather pattern setting in, it may be best to wait until Fall to plant them anyway.

We actually found one Yoshino at Lowe's for 25% off. It's rather pitiful looking but...maybe...

Yes, we are waiting til next year at this point!
Mimi

They are selling some in Leeds it was in yesterdays Birmingham paper, catch is you have to live in Leeds to get them or know someone. They are 5 to 6 ft for $15.00 have to order by nov. 15th E-mail me I will get the info back to you. They are being sold by some garden club.
Jill

Hi,I wrote you once and lost it.I am interested in finding out everything I can about Yoshino cherry trees.Mine have lost there leaves and am wondering if they are suposed to keep there leaves?Being more tolerent to cold weather.Do they need alot of watering ,to be planted near water?Do they require fertilizing in the fall and spring ?I haven't found anything about them in any garden books.Do you know of a good book on the Yoshinos? Thank you for any help in directing me to a good source of info for my trees. Thanks so much organic_Elise

I am looking to plant either a cherry blossum or a Cleveland Pear. I love the trees in front of Brookwood Mall In BIRMINGHAM and was wondering what they are?