Visible Signs Your Tree Is Suffering From A Leaf Disease
Leaves are one of the most beautiful parts of a tree... unless they have dark spots, odd colors, or a distorted shape. These are the symptoms of leaf disease – a not-so-pleasant fungal growth that affects your tree’s appearance and health.
A wet season creates the perfect environment for leaf diseases to develop. Most of these diseases are caused by fungi, spread by spores landing on a leaf and then growing and infecting the plant. The fungus can spread and infect the plant when it has the right amount of moisture.
Our certified arborists recommend fungicide applications, and we urge you to get treatment before you see issues. The most effective treatment plan is helping your tree prior to infection.
Alert: Beech Leaf Disease (BLD) In Massachusetts
Beech leaf disease is a mysterious new disease sweeping through the nation and starting to impact our local communities in Massachusetts. As it rapidly spreads it is causing the decline and death of both young and mature trees. Researchers and other scientists at the Davey Institute have made significant progress in understanding this recently discovered disease.
What Is Beech Leaf Disease?
This disease isn’t caused by fungus, but by microscopic worms that infest beech trees.
Beech Leaf Disease: What To Look For
These Nematodes create distinct markings on leaves that look like dark bands or stripes. As the disease progresses the canopy thins as leaves shrivel and twigs die. Eventually, the entire tree can be killed.
Preventative Measures
We recommend taking preventative measures to keep trees healthy, especially during stressful periods like droughts when trees are more susceptible to disease.
Once a tree is infested, it can be difficult to limit the spread of the disease and there is no cure at this time. Research has shown that the health of infected trees can be maintained with a targeted plant health care program. Talk to your local arborist about how you can limit the impact of beech leaf disease in your landscape.
Learn More About BLD From Interviews With Our Certified Arborists:
- Beech Leaf Disease in MA: What Does That Means for Ecologies, Environments?
- Beech Bum: a Microscopic Bug is Threatening Trees in MA
- Beech Trees Threatened
- Whither the Beech?
