Hello. My family and i own a plum tree that is currently having some problems. Sections of the tree are unexplainably dying off, and some of the plums (small variety, i think the tree was originally intended to produce better flowers rather than fruit) are infested with what appears to be a maggot that consumes the flesh and the exterior layer of the pit. The tree has not been given personalized care, no fertilizers, little to no pruning (except for the dead patches, i'll get into that). i suspect that perhaps it is having issue due to an abundance of sucker growths? As of yet I am unable to get the pictures on here, thanks to leaving the USB cord elsewhere, but the extent to the damage is shocking, perhaps 1/4-1/3 of the tree is leafless and budless. Unfortunatley I couldn't get a good shot of the parasites, but the largest appear to be under 1/4", the smallest remaining too small to measure properly by eye. Can you help us out? Thanks. Tom.
Without a photo (do you have a scanner?), this is pretty difficult. Several problems might be occurring at once. For starters, read through the Plum Plant Health Problems from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
Here are some pictures: as you can see, quite a large portion of the tree has succumbed to this problem. Thanks, Thomas.
