Tree health care professionals of Naples, Florida, share what can lead to blackened tree bark.
Three Common Tree Problems That Can Result In Blackened Tree Trunks
As spring moves into summer, trees should be thriving with full green leaves. If a tree in your yard looks sickly or has black spots on the trunk or the leaves, there is a problem, perhaps a serious one. It is most likely to be three things: stress, disease, or pests.
If you have caught the problem in time, then you may be able to save the tree with the help of a tree service company.
Otherwise, you may be calling them for tree removal services. Let’s look at the major causes of blackening leaves and bark and see what a professional certified arborist may be able to do for each problem.
The Tree Could Be Under Stress
While “stress” may seem like a strange word to apply to a plant, a tree is a living thing. Its growth and nutrient uptake can be affected by adverse factors in the environment. This is essentially what it means to call a tree stressed.
A few examples of the types of changes or events that could negatively affect a tree are in the list below.
- Damage to roots
- Change in soil composition, pH, or drainage ability
- Lightning
- Strong winds
- Extreme temperature shifts
- Overwatering or under watering
- Extreme tree trimming or tree pruning
If tree trimming and pruning are done inexpertly, or too much is cut, this can cause a big problem for the tree, not only reducing its ability to nourish itself, but also leaving it vulnerable to both disease and pests.
The Tree Could Be Diseased
There are many different types of bacteria and fungi that can affect trees. It’s not as though trees can get the flu, but they can be overrun by these microbes that eat away their nutrition and can eventually kill them. Some of the most likely culprits for black spots are detailed in the following bulleted list.
- Bacterial Cankers: As the name suggests, large knotty sections on the tree open and ooze-like wounds.
- Bacterial Wetwood: This tree disease causes blackened sap or moisture to ooze out of the tree, giving it a glistening, sludgy appearance.
- Fire Blight: This fungal infection gives the bark and leaves a scorched look, hence the name.
- Sooty Mold: This powdery black mold gives trees the appearance of being covered in fine soot.
- Verticillium Wilt: This is a common fungal infection that leaves the leaves of a tree spotted with brown and black and drooping.
The Tree Could Have An Insect Infestation
The last invader that may be attacking your tree is a group of insects. There are many different bugs and they are often neutral or helpful to trees, but some such as emerald ash borers, aphids, Japanese beetles, and carpenter ants can find a weak point and destroy the tree from the inside out.
No matter the type of problem your tree is dealing with, you can count on tree health professionals to do the best thing for both you and the tree.
Any Town Tree
Any Town Tree provides excellent service at a reasonable price in Naples, FL, and the surrounding areas. Call today for a free estimate from this locally owned and operated company.