If you have trees on your property, you want them to continue looking healthy and attractive for years to come. This means, of course, that you have to keep an eye out for signs of disease and take appropriate action if your tree does develop disease symptoms. One tree disease to be aware of is annosus root rot. Here's what you should know about this disease as a tree owner.
What is annosus root rot?
Annosus root rot, like many tree diseases, is caused by a fungus. In this case, the fungal species that cause the illness are called H. occidentale and H. irregulare. The species are closely related, and their effects on the tree are essentially the same. In an active annosus root rot infection, these fungi move into the tree's woody root tissue. They cause the root tissue to slowly decay, eventually moving into the trunk as the tree starts to die.
What trees are affected by annosus root rot?
Annosus root rot mostly affects coniferous trees. This is a disease you need to watch out for if you have any pines, fir trees, or cedar trees on your property. It spreads quickly from tree to tree, so if some of your neighbor's trees are impacted, it won't be long before yours become infected as well.
What are the symptoms of annosus root rot?
The first signs of this disease often appear in the needles. The needles may start to turn white or grayish in color. Usually, this happens first near the crown of the tree before spreading further down. Not long after, you may start to notice some brackets, also known as conks, near the base of the tree. These conks are usually white with black spots. If you look under the conks, you may see some sap or resin leaking out.
What should you do about annosus root rot?
If you think your tree has this disease, call a tree care company. They can come to evaluate the tree and determine whether annosus root rot truly is to blame for the symptoms. If your tree does have this disease, the best option is to have it removed. If you don't have the tree removed, it is likely to just blow down on its own before long. In the process, it may cause damage to your home or yard. It's best to have it removed so you have complete control over where it falls.
Annosus root rot is a serious and deadly tree disease. If you think your tree has this condition, having the tree removed is a good choice. For more information, reach out to a company such as American Quality Tree Services.