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Like any living organism, trees are susceptible to disease. In fact, tree diseases are one of the most common causes of tree decline and death. While the trees in Minnesota are better shielded against fungal diseases than the trees in warmer states, there are still several common tree diseases that ravage various tree species during spring and summer. Continue reading to learn more about two of the most common tree diseases in Minnesota and what you can do to keep your trees healthy.

Dutch Elm Disease

Dutch elm disease is a fungal disease which first appeared in Minnesota in 1970. This disease afflicts American elm trees and is most commonly spread by elm bark beetles, though it also may spread through the roots of infested trees. One of the most severe tree diseases present in Minnesota, Dutch elm disease will cause the rapid decline of an infested elm, usually leading to tree death in two years or less.

When an elm tree contracts this disease, its leaves will begin to wilt and turn brown or yellow. This deformation of leaves tends to begin in the crown of an elm tree before spreading down the trunk. As Dutch elm disease progresses, leaves will fall from the tree and dark streaks will become visible beneath the bark.

The most effective way to protect your elm trees is to hire a Twin Cities tree care company to inject your elms with elm bark beetle prevention treatments. Once an elm tree is infested, it is possible to save it if you recognize symptoms of Dutch elm disease early. Ongoing treatments for Dutch elm disease performed by certified arborists can help elms survive this terrible disease.

Oak Wilt

Oak wilt is a fungal disease that afflicts both red oaks and white oaks living in Minnesota. The disease is spread in two ways: by sap beetles that carry the fungus from infested oaks to healthy trees, and by grafts between the roots of oak trees. Oak wilt is extremely lethal to red oaks, which usually succumb and die within just one year of infestation. White oaks tend to be more resilient but will still decline after infestation and may perish after several years.

The main symptom of oak wilt is leaves turning brown and falling from the tree, a process that tends to progress downward from the crown of a tree. Red oaks will display these symptoms almost immediately after infestation, while symptoms may not appear for some time in white oaks.

There is no cure for oak wilt, but there are ways of preventing and treating the disease. It’s best practice to avoid pruning oaks during late spring and summer, when sap beetles are most active and most likely to enter open tree wounds, spreading the fungus. If you catch oak wilt early on, professional arborists in the Twin Cities may be able to save your tree with fungicide treatments. However, if oak wilt has progressed too far for a tree to be saved, it’s best to have the oak tree removed so that the disease cannot spread to other trees in the area.

The Best Tree Care Arborists in the Twin Cities

Preventing oak wilt, Dutch elm disease, and other deadly tree diseases is one of the most effective ways to keep your trees in great health as the years go by. Get in touch with Pro Tree today if you’re in need of tree health care services in the greater Twin Cities metro area!

However indestructible they might look, even the mightiest trees can be felled by disease. One of the worst diseases that ravages trees in Minnesota is oak wilt, a fungal disease that afflicts all oak tree species found in the state. If an oak tree is infected with oak wilt, it will decline and eventually die unless treated promptly. To avoid losing these majestic trees to this terrible disease, it’s important to be able to recognize symptoms of oak wilt so that you can take action immediately.

Common Symptoms of Oak Wilt

While all oak species in Minnesota are vulnerable to oak wilt, it’s worth noting that some species are far more susceptible than others. In red oak species, including the northern red oak and northern pin oak, oak wilt will progress rapidly and the afflicted tree will die in just one to four months. In white oak species, such as the bur oak and swamp white oak, the disease progresses much slower, with tree death not occurring for two to five years after infestation.

The most noticeable symptom of oak wilt will be discoloration of the leaves. The leaves of an infested oak tree will turn brown around the edges and wilt until they drop. If you notice browning and fallen leaves on your oak tree in spring or summer, it’s likely fallen victim to oak wilt. In red oaks, leaf discoloration and wilting will begin in the crown of the tree before descending down the trunk. With white oaks, leaf wilting happens more slowly and will usually appear in just a few scattered branches at first before spreading over the years that follow.

Another symptom of oak wilt is cracking bark along the trunk and branches of the trees. When bark is peeled off, there will likely be a discoloration on the wood beneath that may be bluish, brownish or black depending on the species of oak tree. Mats of the fungus itself may also begin to grow on the trunk of the tree. If you cut off branches of an infested tree, you may also notice the fungal infection in the form of discolored rings within the wood.

How to Prevent Oak Wilt

While it is possible to treat infested trees for oak wilt, it’s more reliable and more cost-effective to take measures to prevent oak wilt from spreading to your property. Oak wilt is primarily spread by sap beetles that, as their name suggests, feed on the sap of trees. Sap beetles are often attracted to open wounds on infested oak trees, then transmit the oak wilt fungus to healthy trees. To minimize the risk of oak wilt transmission, avoid pruning your oak trees between April and June, when sap beetles are most active in Minnesota.

It’s also best to be wary of purchasing firewood from oaks. If oak firewood is infested with oak wilt, it may spread to oak trees on your property, either from traveling spores or sap beetles feeding off of it before moving to your trees. The other primary way in which oak wilt spreads is between the roots of oak trees. To avoid this, if an oak tree on your property is infested and past saving, schedule tree removal ASAP to get rid of it before the fungal disease spreads to nearby trees.

The best way to protect your oak trees from the scourge of oak wilt is by hiring a team of professional arborists to apply preventative treatments. Connect with Pro Tree today if you’re in need of oak wilt prevention services in the greater Twin Cities area!

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