When we moved into our new house 2.5 years ago there was a tree
already planted amongst other shrubs etc.

The shrubs have come on leaps and bounds but the tree is terribly slow
growing. It doesn't tend to leaf like other trees. It is about 9ft
high (ok in itself I suppose)) but the branches are only short and few
and far between. The few buds that are in place at the moment are
already opening into leaf and what looks like a collection of small
white flowers. These are very stumpy though and as a a result the tree
looks weedy to say the least.

There are about 11 small (1 inch) symetrical oval shaped leaves on
each stem if this gives any body an idea as to the variety. The leaves
are light green in colour.

I'm a complete novice so excuse me if I'm missing the obvious but the
only problem I can see is that around the nodes? (not sure if correct
term on a tree) or indeed at any point where the branches branch of
again there is a collection of small green pimples. On closer
inspection today they are light to mid green in colour and some have
an orange centre. Looks a bit like coral under the sea (sorry best way
I can describe it). They come away easy enough when scraped.

Last year the leaves nearly dried up and dropped prematurely until I
watered with copious anmounts of water constantly at the base after
which it did seem to recover. The base of the tree is surrounded by
shrubs. Does this mean that they are all completing for what moisture
there is in the ground, the advantage been I suppose that at least
when the ground is moist then the shrubs will stop the soil from
drying out tooo quickly.

Is the tree diseased?

If so, what disease is it?

Would this affect the tree filling out?

How do I treat?

Any advice would be much appreciated. Otherwise, it may be a case of
taking it out and planting something else in its place which I don't
really want to do.

Ray

Yorkshire