2 Common Tree Diseases

Unfortunately, there are a lot of different pests and diseases that have an adverse effect on our nation’s trees. The knock-on effects also damage wildlife and forest areas. That is why knowledge of the issues facing trees can help us identify whether the problem is happening in our own back garden. Here are 2 examples of the problems that trees can face:

Acute Oak Decline

The visible signs that acute oak decline is occurring, includes a black patch on the stem and a stem that looks like it’s crying. Where the patch is crying, there will be a gap or longitudinal splits in the skin. Initially, the health of the canopy seems fine but over time it begins to decline. For advice from a Tree Surgeon Basildon, visit a site like Benchmark, a leading Tree Surgeon Basildon.

It is estimated that the cause could be a reaction to drought stress or bacterial infections from the bark beetle. Fortunately, the affected trees may recover but badly affected trees that are not treated will die in less than 5 years of the first symptoms appearing.

Ash Dieback

This is a serious disease that is responsible for killing ash trees right across Europe. In the UK, the ash is very important for our local ecological systems, but also the culture as well. There is a lot of concern over the seriousness of this problem.

It is caused by a fungus that inhibits the water transport system in the tree, resulting in the loss of leaves, skin lesions and the crown dying back. The disease was first seen in Poland in 1992 before quickly spreading west across the continent. It was found in nursery stock in the UK in 2012 and a year later in the wild, but it could have been here for some time before that.