Common Tree Diseases and Their Symptoms, Part 1
At Affordable Tree Care, the health of your trees is our top priority. Whether we’re assisting you with tree or shrub trimming, assessing storm damage or providing our specific tree spraying services, you know your trees are in the best possible hands.
Our spraying services accomplish several things, namely managing and even preventing a number of potential diseases that may impact trees throughout various parts of the year. These outbreaks may be seasonal or regional, and often impact specific species of tree. This multi-part blog series will detail several of the most common tree-related diseases that might crop up, plus some symptoms that signal the condition and possible solutions if your trees are impacted by any of them.
Cedar Rusts
Cedar rusts refer to a group of foliar diseases known to attack hawthorn, crabapple and many other rosaceous plants and trees. It will lead to orange- or rust-tinted spots forming on the leaves of these trees, generally during the spring period but also possible later into the summer. In other cases, you may notice the presence of twig cankers, which both form initially and then cause dieback on your trees.
If cedar rusts are found in deciduous trees, fungicide can generally be used to treat it. It will be applied at the bud break area of the tree. Our professionals will usually choose a fungicide that contains triadimefon, an ingredient that helps with cedar rusts.
Apple Scab
Another leaf-related disease is apple scab, a disease that happens early in the season to crabapples specifically, though certain cultivars will resist it better than others. Apple scab is named in part due to its symptoms, which include scab-like lesions that will form on the leaves, leading to premature defoliation in many cases.
When it comes to the actual long-term health of your tree, apple scab actually doesn’t do much damage. But it’s a significant aesthetic drawback, one that can be controlled using fungicides with fenarimol ingredients.
Anthracnose
One of the single most common diseases affecting both trees and shrubs, anthracnose is a fungal condition that impacts multiple areas and species. Sycamore and dogwood trees are some of the most susceptible species, but there are several others as well, and the condition may attack leaves, flowers, twigs and even fruits.
Unfortunately, symptoms of anthracnose tend to vary widely depending on the species. Common results include early defoliation or twig blight, however. This condition can be treated with fungicide for sycamores, and with slightly different application for dogwood.
Diploadia Tip Blight
Diplodia refers to a condition that attacks pines of various types, starting at the base and moving upward. It causes dead shoots and stunted needles, plus small black structures in between needles and resting on cones. Proper sanitation and pruning are very important for preventing this condition, and fungicide at the bud swell location can help remove it if it’s present.
For more on common tree diseases, or to learn about any of our tree care or trimming services, speak to the staff at Affordable Tree Care today.
