Identifying the signs of a diseased tree helps you get the woody perennial the service it needs and keeps the other trees on your property safe. Many diseases spread quickly from one tree to the next, including those that harm apple trees. This guide explains some of the most common tree diseases affecting apple trees in Montana. Depending on the severity of the infection, professional tree removal may be your only recourse.

Diseases That Can Injure Montana Apple Trees

1. Fire Blight

A disease that inflicts serious damage on pear, mountain ash, and cotoneaster trees as well as apple species, fire blight is a bacterial problem that can quickly cause a perennial’s death. The bacteria live in cankers during winter and spread when the temperature hits 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Look for branch, leaf, and flower dieback as well as black branches. Oozing cankers, downward-facing branches, and bark depressions are also common. The disease spreads via rainfall and insects.

Schedule tree trimming in the winter to remove diseased branches. Burn the debris instead of leaving it on your property since it still harbors bacteria.

2. Apple Scab

This fungus creates dark lesions on new leaves in early or mid-spring following the release of spores during rainy weather. Leaves eventually fall off, and any fruit the tree bears also features dark lesions.

Plant apple trees resistant to the fungus such as Gold Rush and Crimson Crisp. Continue inspecting your trees throughout the early spring, especially if it has been particularly rainy or humid. Schedule tree removal to keep the fungus from spreading. Processionals can trim branches if the issue is relatively minor.

3. Powdery Mildew

Another fungal tree disease, powdery mildew, affects crab and standard apple trees. The fungus stays dormant on fallen leaves during winter. Wind and insects carry it to different trees. It causes leaves to become brittle and brown; however, it is not fatal.

Deal with this cosmetic issue by removing leaves from your yard in the fall to keep fungus from spreading in the spring. Gold Rush and Liberty are two apple trees that resist powdery mildew. 
 

Discuss these and other diseases affecting apple trees in Montana with the experts at L & M Tree Service. The full-service tree company serving Kalispell, MT, and the surrounding areas for over 25 years offers tree removal as well as trimming, shaping, and stump grinding services, including emergency tree removal. Call (406) 261-7240 today to schedule an appointment, or learn more about tree services online.