Common Evergreen Tree Diseases
The evergreen tree is able to provide beauty throughout the year able to maintain it’s needles and color even when located in an area where winters are harsh. Evergreen trees are durable and require minimal maintenance. However, there are a number of diseases that commonly affect evergreen trees.
Pathogens – Evergreen trees can become harmed, even killed, by pathogens that carry disease. Fungi is the most common disease to attack evergreen trees. Fungi does not have chlorophyll and so it takes nutrition from evergreen trees, feeding on them. Viruses and bacteria are also pathogens that can cause damage to evergreens.
Needle Cast Tree Disease – This disease causes evergreens to lose their needles. The first symptoms of this disease include yellow spots on the evergreen needles, which will ultimately turn red/brown and then fall out. It is a specific fungi that forms these spots. If the disease is left untreated then the needles will fall out. Prior to the needles being lost, there are minute black fruiting bodies that form on the surface of the needles.
Needle Blight Tree Disease – Dothistroma, Diplodia and brown spot are three needle blight tree diseases, attacking evergreen tree needles or twig tips. The needles that are infected will fall from the tree. When there are repeat cycles of this infection the tree can die.
Canker Tree Disease – This disease causes blisters in the tree bark or trunk and it has the potential to kill the tree.
Root Disease – This wood decay disease, will either get in through the tree’s root system or through the lower part. The disease travels from one tree to the next through both airborne and soil borne spores. Left untreated the evergreen tree will rot from the root system up.
Evergreen tree diseases can damage your tree and even kill the tree if left untreated. Learn to recognize a problem.