DISEASE CONTROL
Tree and shrub diseases occur everywhere that plants grow. By definition, plant disease is any deviation or malfunctioning of a normal plant process due to a persistent outside agent. In English, that means that some ‘thing’ or process is disrupting the normal function of a plant. That ‘thing’ could be either living (biotic) or non-living (abiotic). Biotic disorders can be further grouped into pathogen types (bacteria, fungi, viruses, nematodes, etc). Plant disease identification utilizes both SIGNS (changes produced by the pathogen tissues - leaf spots, rust, etc) and SYMPTOMS (how the plant suffers/reacts from the infection - defoliation, wilting, etc).
Plant diseases can affect the leaves/needles, bark, trunk, or roots of a tree or shrub. At Ulrich Tree Care we are trained and educated to recognize what a healthy plant looks like and what to look for when inspecting for possible disease issues. Some diseases don’t cause major problems to the health or performance of a plant and are merely superficial or a aesthetic. Other diseases can cause prolonged damage or immediate death to a plant, can spread to other plants, or can be a health issue or nuisance to humans or animals.
The most common tree diseases in the Tulsa area are:
Anthracnose - a leaf disease that produces irregular dead areas on leaf margins, along the leaf veins, and sometimes moving onto the shoots or entire twigs.
Pecan & Apple Scab - a leaf disease that produces spots on the leaf surface, usually resulting in the leaf drying out and falling off
Hypoxylon Canker - mainly on Oak trees, but can affect other hardwoods in our area. It is exacerbated by drought and poor environmental conditions. It’s identified initially by yellowing, then wilting, then dead leaves. In advanced cases, the bark will fall off revealing a tan or black smooth mat of fungus. Once the tree reaches this stage it is usually untreatable.
Pine Wilt - a disease affecting many non-native Pine species (Austrian, Scotch) that clogs the vascular tissue of the tree and is almost always fatal. The disease is transmitted by the Longhorn Beetle. It is a very difficult disease to control and usually involves more Plant Health treatments (water, mulch, fertilizing) than chemical treatments.