6 Common Tree Diseases and what to do about It

common tree disease

common tree diseaseJohnson City, and Kingsport TN

Around homes, trees provide foliage for the shade that many homeowners seek when searching for a home. Healthy trees give an aesthetic to your property that could add value too. Unfortunately, some trees become ill with a disease requiring proper treatment from a certified arborist in the Tri-Cities from Promier Tree. Without a health evaluation and treatment, infections can spread from one tree to another, which increases the risk to other trees on your property. Today on the blog, we share six common tree diseases and what to do about them.

  1. Anthracnose

Anthracnose typically appears early in the growing season and is caused by fungi that rarely kill plants or trees. The symptoms vary, but some include recessed areas that are gray, tan, or dark brown spots on the fruit, leaves, twig, or stem. The fungi spores are often spread naturally through rain or a garden sprinkler and can make the leaves wither or drop. The certified arborists in Kingsport near you discourage overhead watering from the risk of spreading the disease and encourage the use of mulch to reduce water splashing. When you notice the tree’s infected areas, they should be promptly removed and destroyed.

  1. Fireblight

Known to attack only rose buses that produce pomes, Fireblight is from a bacterial infection. Common tree species that suffer from Fireblight are apple, hawthorn, pear, and crabapple. Fireblight may cause the shoots to blacken in color and die suddenly. When you notice the disease, prune and discard dead branches. Then, contact an ISA arborist in Johnson City from Promier Tree for treatment options to keep the infection from spreading.

  1. Oak Root Fungus

An infection caused by the Armillaria mellea fungus, Oak Root Fungus destroys trees by causing root rot, eventually leading to girding the tree or plant. You may see the fungus’s initial symptoms through sparse growth or discolored foliage that may wilt and die. The Bristol tree care professionals explain that you may see a white fungal tissue layer under the trunk’s bark or roots. Additionally, clumps of tan mushrooms may appear in late autumn or early winter around the infected plant or tree base. Unfortunately, when your tree suffers from Oak Root Fungus, there is no chemical control, which often results in tree removal.

  1. Powdery Mildew

A group of diseases caused by fungi is Powdery Mildew. The substance appears as white or gray circular patches on leaves, stems, flowers, or buds and spreads rapidly to other plant or tree areas. You may see reduced bud or fruit production, or the fungus may cover fruit once produced. The experienced tree care professionals in the Tri-Cities area recommend spraying infected plants with water jets to rinse away mold spores and remove and destroy any infected leaves or flowers. If the water treatment does not work or the infection advances, call our office to consult with a qualified ISA arborist for possible treatment options.

  1. Verticillium Wilt

Verticillium Wilt results from a fungus that invades water and plugs critical water-consuming tissues in the stems and roots of plants and trees. The most common visual symptom is one side of the tree or plant begins wilting with yellow or brown leaves that eventually die. Without proper diagnosis and treatment from a tree disease expert in Kingsport, you may risk the tree or plant’s life. As the disease progresses, branches begin to die, but mature trees could survive longer.

  1. Sudden Oak Death Syndrome (SODS)

Caused by Phytophthora ramorum, a fungus-like pathogen, Sudden Oak Death Syndrome typically occurs in a forest setting. The experienced Johnson City arborist warns that the pathogen can spread quickly through wind-blown rain. Although the fungus that causes SODS affects each species differently, it may be fatal to some plants or trees. For example, some affected species are live oak, black oak, tanoak, or Shreve oak.

Certified Arborists in Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol, Tennessee

Finding a diseased tree on your property can be disheartening. Promier Tree recommends planting disease-resistant varieties of plants and trees whenever possible. The best thing to do if you think one of your trees is diseased is to call an ISA-certified arborist in Kingsport for an evaluation. It’s important to stop tree diseases from spreading to other plants on your property. If you have questions about tree or plant diseases or want to schedule an appointment, please call us at (423) 765-2626 or contact us online. We provide tree care services to the areas of Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol.