What happend to my plum tree

[Dahlia]

I have planted a dwarf plum tree a year ago, it grew nicely in summer(no fruits though) and everything looked promising.
But today I went to the garden with kids to play with snow and was shocked to see very bright orange tiny spots on two branches of my plum tree.
What are these spots.. they are very bright and located towards the top end of the branch.
I am new to gardening.. please help!

[SarzWix]

Sounds like coral spot fungus, which usually only colonises dead wood. I think if it were mine, I would snip that bit of branch off, back to just above a bud (a bump in the branch from where another branch will grow later), and put the spotty bits in a bin away from the plot. Hopefully it would be fine after that.

Edited to add: Welcome to the Grapevine Dahlia

[northepaul]

The only problem is that you are not supposed to prune plums at this time of year!

[SarzWix]

If it's got coral spot on it, it's probable that bit is dead anyway, so snipping it off hopefully won't do any further damage? It could be pruned back a bit into living wood in the summer.

The main thing I'd be thinking about is why it's succumbed to the coral spot in the first place - everything I've read suggests that the tree is struggling for some reason. It might just be the pants summer we had though, lots of things have struggled with that!

[FB.]

The only problem is that you are not supposed to prune plums at this time of year!

Yes, a catch-22.

The tree is diseased and needs surgery to remove the diseased bit before it spreads, but by removing the diseased bit it leaves a wound which, in the case of plums, is easily infected if pruned during the winter.

I would remove the dead bit fairly soon, but either watch the wound closely for reinfection during 2013, or consider making a second pruning cut further back just as the buds start to swell (which is the proper time to prune plums), so that there's a fresh would which the tree can heal because the sap is flowing again.

[realfood]

You could cover the cut ends of the branches with a proprietary sealing compound for fruit trees.

[Dahlia]

Thank you all for the useful replies... I will do what SARAH suggested.. cut only the effected area and wait untill spring to cut off the whole barnch...
another question... I have a healthy apple tree right next to the plum tree, is the coral fungus going to effect it as well?? is there anything I can do to protect my beloved spple tree??..

[rustylady]

Some info here Coral spot / Royal Horticultural Society on coral spot. Are your trees in pots, Dahlia?

[FB.]

another question... I have a healthy apple tree right next to the plum tree, is the coral fungus going to effect it as well?? is there anything I can do to protect my beloved spple tree??..

The apple tree should be fine, unless another disease has already damaged the branch.
The coral spot is telling you that the tree was *already* diseased and it is now simply taking advantage of the dead (or near-dead) and rotting branch.
Apples (and pears) can be pruned in winter time without the fear of canker and silverleaf associated with plums. Best to wait for a relatively dry and mild spell before pruning any fruit tree though as it reduces the risk of infections or die-back.