Not the best pics, are we looking at bag worms?
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Female bagworms, when maturing, will crawl hundreds of yards across the ground to find a new host tree, generally a juniper of some sort. Then they die, their enclosed egg case hatches out in late spring, and the cycle starts again from a new tree or bush.
I've seen them seriously damaging spruce trees, and barely bothering locust trees and a few others. Generally, they destroy junipers. Funny thing: I seldom see them on the eastern red cedars that grow wild in this area. Too bad, because they are often invasive around here, but the bagworms leave 'em alone.
I've seen them seriously damaging spruce trees, and barely bothering locust trees and a few others. Generally, they destroy junipers. Funny thing: I seldom see them on the eastern red cedars that grow wild in this area. Too bad, because they are often invasive around here, but the bagworms leave 'em alone.
Next challenge if anyone is still interested.
Name the tree, disorder and treatment if necessary.
Name the tree, disorder and treatment if necessary.
Looks like tar spot, but that ain't a maple.
I don't know enough to comment further; I'm more of a research kind of guy, and don't have time today.
Cosmetic, no treatment at this time of year. Them leaves 'll be falling off shortly. Spring? I wouldn't but others might.
I don't know enough to comment further; I'm more of a research kind of guy, and don't have time today.
Cosmetic, no treatment at this time of year. Them leaves 'll be falling off shortly. Spring? I wouldn't but others might.
It's not tar spot, good guess.
A few tips on diagnosis, first identify the host. Second determine if the issue is abiotic or biotic. Third if biotic assess if it's a disease or arthropod (insect, spider mite, etc.) Forth research the key pest (s) for your host plant.
Example, you find a issue with tree leaves. ID the tree, it's an apple tree. Determine it's a biotic disorder and appears to be a disease. Now research common leaf diseases of apple trees. You find apple scab looks like what you have.
It's very important to properly identify your tree and know how to research key issues with that plant.
Just a quick edit, there are always exceptions to rules. This is just basic information to help with ID. We aren't going deeper into more complex disorders such as viruses, bacterium and nematodes.
Example, you find a issue with tree leaves. ID the tree, it's an apple tree. Determine it's a biotic disorder and appears to be a disease. Now research common leaf diseases of apple trees. You find apple scab looks like what you have.
It's very important to properly identify your tree and know how to research key issues with that plant.
Just a quick edit, there are always exceptions to rules. This is just basic information to help with ID. We aren't going deeper into more complex disorders such as viruses, bacterium and nematodes.
Nobody seems to be jumping on this one.
Isariopsis leaf spot on redbud, Cercis canadensis. Sometimes confused with Cercospora LS. Or so I am guessing.
Differential diagnosis (apart from putting it under a microscope) centers mostly around the size and frequency of the spots. Also, Isariopsis seems to have a greater tendency towards having a yellow margin to the spots, not seen so prominently on your pics.
This is a pretty obscure disease! I played heck coming up with this one, even finding information on it is difficult after you know the name..
Other options: Septoria Leaf spot, Phyllosticta, and Pseudocercospora. There seem to be LOTS of different leaf spot diseases. Only your plant pathologist is likely to know the difference.
Unlikely: Puccinia leaf rust. Anthracnose (Gloeosporium, mostly on leaf margins)
Isariopsis leaf spot on redbud, Cercis canadensis. Sometimes confused with Cercospora LS. Or so I am guessing.
Differential diagnosis (apart from putting it under a microscope) centers mostly around the size and frequency of the spots. Also, Isariopsis seems to have a greater tendency towards having a yellow margin to the spots, not seen so prominently on your pics.
This is a pretty obscure disease! I played heck coming up with this one, even finding information on it is difficult after you know the name..
Other options: Septoria Leaf spot, Phyllosticta, and Pseudocercospora. There seem to be LOTS of different leaf spot diseases. Only your plant pathologist is likely to know the difference.
Unlikely: Puccinia leaf rust. Anthracnose (Gloeosporium, mostly on leaf margins)
For the sake of this thread and keeping it simple. I would have been happy with leafspot on redbud, no treatment necessary. Pdqdl you are correct, without properly IDing the fruiting structures under magnification we can't be certain of the species. The leaf lesions are asymmetrical which would tend to favor Cercospora. Hard telling not knowing, you definitely get an A for effort.
I'll bet you never heard of Isariopsis. I stumbled into it, and could hardly find any further references.
I can assure you my "expert" opinion to a customer would have instantly been "Ma'am, this is a fairly common leaf spot fungus. I'm not expert enough to tell you which of the many variations there are, but none of them are going to kill your tree".
That being said, I do think anthracnose is occasionally a tree defoliator, particularly sycamore.
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden...ms/diseases/fungal-spots/sycamore-anthracnose
I can assure you my "expert" opinion to a customer would have instantly been "Ma'am, this is a fairly common leaf spot fungus. I'm not expert enough to tell you which of the many variations there are, but none of them are going to kill your tree".
That being said, I do think anthracnose is occasionally a tree defoliator, particularly sycamore.
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden...ms/diseases/fungal-spots/sycamore-anthracnose
Sycamore anthracnose is a problem. Any early season defoliator is a concern for tree health.
As the season draws to a close it's becoming more difficult to find challenges to post. I found this one while out hiking. Name the host, the issue and recommended treatment if necessary.
Some my recognize this right away, if not it's going to be difficult to diagnose. I have a few more pictures that I'll use as hints if no one can ID the disorder.
Some my recognize this right away, if not it's going to be difficult to diagnose. I have a few more pictures that I'll use as hints if no one can ID the disorder.
Well, for starters, that looks to be a linden tree. I've not seen the "mitten" variations shown in your bottom picture, and that ain't the best pictures I've seen for identifying a tree. I'm pretty sure I've never seen one that tortured, either.
Good guess, but not a linden tree. Don't give up on "mitten" concider location. I deliberately made the host plant difficult to ID. Here are some pictures of the disorder in early stages.
My best efforts to ID this tree still point mostly at a linden tree.
https://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrolo...obes=unlobed&leafedges=serrate&thickness=thin
I suppose "Dove tree" is possible, but I've never encountered that tree.
We have zillions of white mulberry around my area, but they never have such simple leaves. I'm not sure I have ever seen a red mulberry, having dug into this project so deeply. Photo listings online seem to have plenty of similarities, and the bark seems like a decent match. Now I'm sure you have the tree id correct, so I'm stuck with a red mulberry at this point.
https://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrolo...obes=unlobed&leafedges=serrate&thickness=thin
I suppose "Dove tree" is possible, but I've never encountered that tree.
We have zillions of white mulberry around my area, but they never have such simple leaves. I'm not sure I have ever seen a red mulberry, having dug into this project so deeply. Photo listings online seem to have plenty of similarities, and the bark seems like a decent match. Now I'm sure you have the tree id correct, so I'm stuck with a red mulberry at this point.
Having picked a host tree, nectria canker pops up quickly as a probable diagnosis. No treatment practical, your tree is a goner.
If attempting to save a tree with early detection, prune well below each infected branch, sterilizing tools with bleach after every cut.
This is a "target canker", which kills the newly formed callus surrounding a wound.
I also see that it is found in a large variety of trees, but I am not at all familiar with this disease. So... Excellent test question!
If attempting to save a tree with early detection, prune well below each infected branch, sterilizing tools with bleach after every cut.
This is a "target canker", which kills the newly formed callus surrounding a wound.
"Infection appears to take place via small dead branch stubs. The pathogen kills a patch of bark. The inner bark dries and cracks, and the bark soon falls off. Then the magic begins:
- The host produces a ridge of callus around the canker. If successful, this would continue growth each year until it covered the dead area and sealed it.
- During the dormant season, when the host can’t actively respond, the fungus kills said callus roll.
- When the tree awakens next year, it finds itself taken aback. Not knowing what else to do, it lays down a phellogen barrier between live and dead bark, then produces another roll of callus around the dead one.
- Get where we’re going with this? The second roll gets killed as well. Back and forth the combatants go, creating this work of art that takes years to develop.
The canker persists for many years without killing its host.
The canker face is usually free of bark, making it rather attractive, but it may have bark on aspen.
We rarely see fruiting of the pathogen. It probably fruits mostly in certain years when weather is right, and then in the dormant season when we’re not around to see it."
I also see that it is found in a large variety of trees, but I am not at all familiar with this disease. So... Excellent test question!
Outstanding pdqdl, once again you've done very well. It is always so important to properly ID your host plant. In this case it is in fact a red mulberry. This tree would have failed long ago if it wasn't leaning against a nearby hickory.
Nectria canker is fairly common on weak and stressed trees. This weak pathogen is more often a symptom of some other issue with the plant. It's easy to identify in the fruiting stage.
Target canker is a commonly used name for this fungus. If you go back and look closely at the trunk pictures you'll see some of the target rings. This was the give away I was referring to.
Having no treatment it's still possible to recover the tree, nectria is very slow to infect the host. Addressing the underlying problem and not spreading the pathogen around is paramount.
Once again well done!
Nectria canker is fairly common on weak and stressed trees. This weak pathogen is more often a symptom of some other issue with the plant. It's easy to identify in the fruiting stage.
Target canker is a commonly used name for this fungus. If you go back and look closely at the trunk pictures you'll see some of the target rings. This was the give away I was referring to.
Having no treatment it's still possible to recover the tree, nectria is very slow to infect the host. Addressing the underlying problem and not spreading the pathogen around is paramount.
Once again well done!
I guess I just don't get around enough. I don't think I've ever seen that.
As I've said before, I am better at research than I am at remembering all the stuff I've read. I'm pretty sure that I have never encountered "target canker" as an expression, though. That is so descriptive and memorable, I think I'd have kept that in recall.
As I've said before, I am better at research than I am at remembering all the stuff I've read. I'm pretty sure that I have never encountered "target canker" as an expression, though. That is so descriptive and memorable, I think I'd have kept that in recall.
The plant ID at Virginia tech is outstanding. It is one of my favorite "go to" locations for tree id. I get better and faster results there than I do my "Flora of Missouri" textbook. This is truly a college level textbook, but terribly hard to follow.
https://www.amazon.com/Flora-Missouri-Julian-Steyermark/dp/0813806550
If it isn't in this book, it isn't in Missouri.
