Trees are beautiful features on any landscape, but they are susceptible to illness. Tree diseases can infect the plant and cause their health to decline and ruin its splendor, but in some cases, the infection can be devastating. Here are several common tree diseases and how you could identify them.

What Are the Different Types of Tree Diseases

1. Armillaria Root Rot

This soil-born fungus targets softwoods and hardwoods, and it’s found in every state in America. It can infect a healthy tree and leave it susceptible to further damage from insects or other fungi.

If armillaria root rot sets in a damaged tree, it will kill it. Trees that are infected with this disease may have downward-hanging foliage and mushrooms that sprout near the tree’s base after a rainy season. 

2. Cedar Rusts

Cedar rusts are a collection of diseases that infect plants withing the rose family, including hawthorn and crabapple trees. It’s a fungus that starts with juniper trees where cankers may develop before it finishes its lifecycle with rosaceous plants. A tell-tale sign of cedar rust infection is small orange spots that form on leaves. 

3. Dutch Elm Disease

The fungus that causes this disease infects American and European elm trees. It causes the tree’s vascular tissues to clog, which stops water from reaching the top of the plant.

As a result, the leaves on branches near the outer crown will turn yellow before they wilt and turn brown. The disease spreads quickly, and unless it is treated at the earliest stages of infection, the tree will die.

4. Powdery Mildew

Several fungal pathogens are responsible for this tree disease. The fungus grows on top of tree leaves where it produces white or gray powder-like growths, which are fungal threads and spores. It can affect nearly any tree in the country, but it prefers young leaves. 

If you suspect a tree on your property is suffering from a tree disease, reach out to the professionals at Big Beaver Tree Service. As one of the leading tree services in Nicholasville, KY, their team has more than 30 years of experience handling trees throughout Jessamine County. These experts use the latest industry techniques and tools to provide a variety of services, including tree maintenance, removal, pruning, and stump grinding. Call (859) 489-6795 today for your free estimate. You can also visit them online for a full list of their services.