wilting purpleleaf sand cherry

[tnjwellum]

I have a sand cherry that is about 7 years old it started out very small. Last fall I wanted to cut it back but it got cold to quickly and I missed my chance. This year it came in healthy but the upper branches are now wilting, it started with the outside branches and has moved to the inside ones. The lower branches are fine for now but I am not sure what to do. I thought that maybe it was too dry so I have been watering it. I looked at it closer today and can see nothing wrong with the bark, but my dog found a chipmunk running through the bushes this morning. Could they be killing it?

[MaineDesigner]

Prunus x cistena is short lived under the best of circumstances. Like most cherry species it is a target for almost every insect pest and disease imaginable. I suspect the chipmunk is blameless. Without seeing the plant I'm just guessing but verticillium wilt might be a possibility.