Ash dieback on garden trees
Ash disease in garden trees
Ash dieback has hit the headlines recently as the government tries to prevent this disease from destroying ash trees in Britain. Until now, most of the conversation has been about forests, but what should you do if you have an ash tree in your garden? What symptoms should you look out for and what should you do if you suspect a tree in your yard is infected?
The disease is caused by the fungus Chalara fraxinea which is transmitted by wind-borne spores. The first symptoms you may see are spots on the leaves or you may notice that the tree is losing its leaves before fall arrives. Initially, small twigs will die as the disease spreads from the leaves. Later, as the disease enters larger branches, a canker (rough, discolored bark) will spread up and down from where the infected twig joins the branch. This is often a form of diamond in the rough. As the fungus kills the tissue, more limbs will die until eventually the entire crown dies.
The disease has killed 90 percent of the ash trees in Denmark and is now prevalent throughout Europe. Most of the cases recorded in Britain to date are related to imported nursery stock. As many plants purchased at garden centers and nurseries are now imported from Europe, it is quite possible that the ash tree in your garden is infected if it has been recently planted. Unless your garden is a large country garden with ash trees growing around it as part of the windbreak, chances are you won’t have common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) planted in your garden. The claret ash or Fraxinus angustifolia ‘Raywood’ is a relative of the common ash. With its smaller stature, more delicate leaves, and beautiful burgundy color in fall, it makes a fine specimen of a tree. Although claret ash is known to harbor the disease, none have exhibited the classic dieback. However, this cannot be ruled out in the future and you should still keep an eye on this tree. The mountain ash or Sorbus aucuparia is actually a different species and does not suffer from this disease.
If you see any of these symptoms on the tree in your garden it is very important that you contact the Forestry Commission Plant Health Center on 01420 23000. You should not try to fix it yourself as it is essential that the Forestry Commission knows all the news. boxes There are also other diseases that cause similar symptoms. There is also an app for smartphone users that allows them to report sightings and upload photos of suspected cases. forgetting of labelsget ash label, which can be downloaded from http://www.ashtag.org. This application could save the lives of many trees.
