Solution for ash...

[Gopher]

First of all, is this mistletoe on this green ash twig? I used to see it more where I used to live, and that is what I think it is, but would like confirmation.

Then, is there any teatment for it? The tree is about 25 years old, and has been inflicted for the last two years. As you can see from the end of the branch, the growth the past couple of years has been minimal.

Thank you.

Gopher

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

That is ash flower gall, a mite that feeds and deforms the male flowers only.

Ash being polygamous-dioecious you will find only a few of the oposet sex organs on any given tree, if any. Especialy with good cultivars you will find tons of these flower galls because they do not mature before drying up, so they cannot complete the normal ascision prosess.

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

nya nya

 

[Gopher]

Gall

This explains my lack of learning in this department while paying oodles of money to a big university! The entomology classes just didn't sink into the brain of this soil-rich gopher boy.

That also explains why I remember it so well growing up as a kid - my Mom's place had (I cut the things down the past couple of years) two very large green ash; one being female or sedd producing, the other, male.

The growth of the tree is very slow the past two years. Is there anything I can do to control the mites/gall?

Can conditions be changed to favor a predator? Can a predator insect be introduced?

Now, when I wanted to quit school after a year, I should have been smart enough to join ISA, NAA and learned from the people that do the work (the thousands and thousands would have paid many years of dues.) Oh well, the diploma looks nice on the wall anyway!

Gopher

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

What is it, more BS? You got BS in dirt?

The flower gall is an aesthetic problem, something else, like lack of rain, would be effecting the growth. If it is too ugly, there are some sprays that can be done. Miteicides really suck though. I've heard that using NAA to cause the to drop early, before they gall, can help.

The biggest problem is the over use of male ash in street trees has caused an explosion in the mite populations, just like honeylocust plant bug and other problems. We have the Fabulouse Four in stree plantings, instead of a good sound mix (green ash, Norway maple, honey locust, linden, your areas may vary some..) of species and genus.

Another rsult of this practice of using male cvs heavilly is an increased pollen count in urban areas. Cant have all those seeds falling on the strees!

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Here's another photo of pretty colored mini-galls by mites on Maple:

http://www.mdvaden.com/advice-landscape.shtml

Its the 5th photo down on my advice page to the right of my weed control topic (photos are random on these pages)

This gall stuff could be worthy of a full days reading.