Question
My Dwarf weeping Cherry tree is oozing a thick sap like liquid from the trunk.  Last year it started and we didn't think much of it but this year the trunk is splitting and the split is oozing and traveling up the entire trunk.  It seems to be spreading to the other trees on our property as well.  Can it be saved?  Have you ever seen this before?  The tree is only 3 or 4 years old.

Answer
Hi Laura:
Good Morning.
The thick sap-like ooze is the trees' response to a wound in the bark/wood. Often the wound is physical injury made by an insect that is boring into the bark. It looks like a resin and often comes out of a tiny hole that the insect makes.

Resin flow can result from any type of physical damage.  In the case of a boring type insect, it is the trees attempt to "drown" or seal off the insects' progress.  

The trunk splitting may be due to a physical stress or if the bark is splitting, often freeze injury may be the culprit.  Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet. The tree may ultimately need to be replaced if the damage is severe enough when the bark splits.  Good fertilization and watering correctly may help the tree to persist for some time. By watching the tree growth ( eg. how full the canopy gets each season), you should be able to tell how it is doing overall.

Regards
Steve