Common Tree Problems

      Nothing is more terrifying to any business owner, home owner or professional, than seeing a beloved tree dying from disease. Trees can become infected with disease, just like people and animals, and there is a variety of different bacterial and fungal infections from which the trees might suffer. Tree disease can be  caused by many different factors like; the tree’s geographical location, weather, soil conditions, and the overall health of the tree and other plant life surrounding it.
      If the tree disease is caught in time, it does not necessarily mean a death sentence. Many diseases can be treated by the grower once the specific bacterial or fungal culprit has been identified. In worse case scenarios, professionals should be brought in to cure the tree or remove it completely. Diseases can also be avoided by knowing the most common types of disease in your area, and purchasing and planting trees resistant to the area’s problematic agricultural disease. Monitoring the tree’s fertilizer, light, soil, and watering conditions will also help to prevent disease. If you suspect your trees or plants are affected by any of these diseases give Southern Cuts of Florida, LLC and let us help you.

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Ganoderma

The root pathogen, Ganoderma lucidum, generally enters a tree through wounds, tears, cuts or damaged roots. Most trees in Florida can be affected by this disease. Some studies suggest that the fungus infests a trees structural root system slowly and may take as many as 10-20 years to kill the tree. The structural root system of a tree holds the tree into the ground preventing it from tipping over. Once Ganoderma has begun to damage the structural roots of the tree it quickly becomes unstable causing the tree to become susceptible to uprooting and falling to the ground. The only option is to remove the tree by digging out the root ball to the tree and replacing the soil. If we were to just remove the tree itself the disease would stay in the ground and could possibly contaminate near by trees.

Ambrosia Beetle

Ambrosia beetles generally utilize dead, dying, or severely stressed or weakened trees as well as seasoning logs or lumber. The beetle transmits the causal pathogen of laurel wilt disease among plants in the Laurel family. Trees attacked by these beetles show minimal external symptoms initially. Small strings of compacted sawdust protrude from the bark at the point of attack; however, these strings disintegrate easily and are not always readily apparent. Maintaining healthy trees and shrubs is the first line of defense against the ambrosia beetles attacking weak hosts. Small infestations can be controlled by pruning out the infested twigs and branches. Because of the many overlapping generations, spraying is of limited value.

White Flies

White flies, or aleyrodidae, are soft-bodied, winged insects that are closely related to aphids and mealybugs. They can be found in most any region, but they thrive in warm areas. They are found in clusters on the undersides of leaves. The most frequently attacked plants include allamanda, avocado, china-berry, citrus, fig, fringe tree, gardenia, gumbo limbo, ligustrum, mango, various palms, persimmon, viburnum, and many annuals. White flies suck juices from plants, leading to wilting and stunted growth.

Frizzle Top in Palm Trees

Frizzle top is a disease of palm trees, which is caused by a manganese deficiency most common on Queen and Royal palms, but other species, including coconut palms, can also be affected. Cold temperatures minimize the effectiveness of roots to draw manganese into the tree’s vascular system. Symptoms become most obvious in the spring and winter months because the roots are not as active. The palm fronds will exhibit dry, withered leaves. In some species, the leaf tips fall off and leave the plant looking scorched. Frizzle top on palm trees will eventually cause the death of the tree if left unchecked.

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