Our warm, humid climate is good for trees and, unfortunately, good for the fungi and bacteria that trouble them. The good news is that most common diseases are manageable when they are caught early, and recognizing them is the first step. Here are five you may see in a north Georgia yard.
One: leaf rust
Rust shows up as powdery orange, yellow, or reddish-brown spots on the undersides of leaves, sometimes with matching yellow blotches on top. It rarely kills a healthy tree outright, but heavy infections weaken it over time and cause early leaf drop. Raking up and disposing of fallen infected leaves, and improving air circulation, go a long way toward keeping it in check.
Two: powdery mildew
Powdery mildew looks exactly like its name: a white or grey powdery coating on leaves and young shoots, most common in the shade and in the humidity we get all summer. It is more cosmetic than deadly on most trees, but it stresses new growth and looks unsightly. Better airflow and sun, and not crowding plants, are the best defenses.
Three: fire blight
Fire blight is a bacterial disease that mostly hits trees in the rose family, including ornamental and fruiting pears and crabapples. Its signature is branch tips that suddenly wilt, blacken, and curl over as if scorched by fire, often bending into a shepherd's crook. It can spread fast and needs careful pruning well below the infected area, with tools cleaned between every cut so you do not carry it along.
Four: galls
Galls are the odd bumps, knobs, and growths you find on leaves, twigs, and branches, caused by insects or fungi prompting the tree to grow abnormal tissue. Most leaf galls are harmless curiosities that do not hurt the tree. Galls on the trunk or major limbs, though, can girdle and weaken, and are worth having looked at.
Five: witch's broom
Witch's broom is a dense, tangled cluster of shoots all sprouting from one point, so it looks like a broom stuck in the canopy. It can be caused by disease, mites, or other stress, and while one broom is rarely fatal, several can signal an underlying problem worth diagnosing.
How Engram's Tree Service can help
Spotting a disease is the start; knowing what to do about it is the rest. Our certified arborist can tell you whether a tree needs pruning, care, or, in the worst cases, removal to protect the trees around it. If something on your trees does not look right, reach out for a free estimate and we will take a look.
