3 Common Tree Diseases

Whether your property has one tree or several, knowing the signs of tree disease is crucial. One sick tree could infect your entire lot, spreading to your landscaping as well as to neighboring yards. At Nature’s Select Triangle, we pride ourselves in working with nature and not against it to treat various tree diseases. Getting your trees treated at the first sign of illness is crucial. So, here are several common tree diseases to aware of.

1. Laurel Wilt

This tree disease is a fungus that spreads from leaf to leaf and tree to tree through the redbay ambrosia beetle. The fungus attacks the vascular system of the tree, preventing nutrients and water from flowing freely. Because of this restriction, leaves can wilt away and die, and dark streaks can appear in the wood. If left untreated, laurel wilt will kill an entire adult tree in a matter of months.

2. Anthracnose

Anthracnose is found to mostly affect ash, dogwood, maple, and sycamore trees. The disease causes tan to brown spots to appear on leaves, often located near the veins. You can identify this disease by the way some leaves tend to cup or curl as they grow. Eventually, anthracnose causes leaves to drop in the early spring or summer. However, trees do regrow the leaves by midsummer.

3. Powdery Mildew

This tree disease is easy to spot on dogwood, red bud, and rose trees, as it produces a grayish, talcum powder-like substance on the bark. The fungus spores sprout quickly and generally look like tiny pinhead-sized fruiting structures. However, they'll quickly turn yellow or brown, giving you the clearest indication that your tree is ill. If you suspect your trees have powdery mildew, then you'll want to have them inspected and treated right away.

Don't Let Diseases Take Over Your Trees

Tree diseases are more common than most homeowners and business owners think. If you have a sick tree, it's likely that all of your trees are feeling unwell and need to be treated. Thanks to the expert team at Nature's Select Triangle, you never have to worry about your trees' health. We also offer a boxwood program, lawn pest control, and lawn disease control to residents throughout Chapel Hill and Durham, NC. Give us a call today at (919) 240-4239.