Warm, inviting, and peaceful, an American beech tree is a wonderful tree that doesn’t only look beautiful, but it has tons of benefits for the environment and resource use. However, with trees being trees, there can be predators that are out for the health of the tree. Here are all of the common diseases associated with the American beech tree so you should know when to contact an arborist service.
Beech Bark Disease
American beech trees can fall victim to beech tree disease a lot. This is a cumulative disease in which the twigs, branches, and leaves – everything is affected. It is mainly caused by a fungus or either an insect or pest and it can lead to problems like:
- Twigs falling down and drying up
- Leaves turning brown and wilting at a rapid speed
- Die back or the process of twigs or branches growing and then drooping almost immediately.
Beech tree disease can occur due to weather changes. It is extremely common in frost season or even extremely dry weather. The beech tree is capable of holding its own, but when the seasons change drastically, that is when everything can go haywire.
Along with these symptoms, sap production can also be at an all-time high and it can cause more fungus and pest infestation which is never a good sign. It can also lead to the spreading of the disease if the trees are in close vicinity.
Bark Burn
It is also known as abiotic bark damage and it is common to occur in a lot of trees, including the American beech tree. The branches of the tree turn very dry and then when they are weakened, they can also be exposed to the sun and get sunburnt, just like how your skin can get a bad sunburn.
You can identify bark burn by seeing cracks and fissures on the bark and the color will also give some things away. It will look dull and lifeless and the cracks can be a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and fungus, so it will only lead to more problems if you’re not too careful.
Insect & Pest Diseases
The American beech tree can also be subjected to diseases, damage, and infestation by insects and pests. Some of the most common critters found on the beech tree include:
Long-Horned Beetle
There can be loads of insects and beetles on the beech tree. Some are harmless and are simply looking for a home, while some can cause major diseases. Well, one of the latter includes the long-horned beetle.
They not only cause beech tree disease, but they also prey on aged and weakened trees and lead to damage. It first attacks the leaves and branches and then moves to the inner workings of the tree and slowly kills it from the inside.
Beech Buprestid
These dark-colored, very small critters can lead to immense damage, so don’t let the size fool you. These beetles can be identified on the tree by the appearance of tunnels that are usually present on the stem. These insects usually lay their eggs in the trees and then wait to unleash their wrath once they grow bigger and more violent. These beetles are specifically dangerous because they don’t just target dying trees.
Even healthy trees are not safe from these seemingly harmless crawling insects and you need to consider pest control before things take a turn for the worse. You can go for physical removal of buprestid beetles or you can introduce natural predators as well to take care of the job. The point is – these beetles need to go.
Bark Beetles
Bark beetles are mainly of two different types, based on their appearance and the family they belong to. One is the Typhorychus bicolor and the other is the Ernoporus fagi. These beetles attack weakened and even healthy trees and they can spread to other trees like wildfire. It is a very serious infestation.
Most of the time, people don’t even realize that their beech trees are severely under attack. This is why you need to keep a lookout for the trees, especially during dry and humid weather. These sudden changes in the weather can lead to drastic effects on the tree and it’s not something you want to experience.
Wood Boring Beetles
Wood boring beetles attack the timber of the tree. Beech tree wood is very strong and is used for a variety of things, however, if there are long tunnels and channels in the wood, then it means that the wood-boring beetle is residing in it. These beetles burrow through the wood like it’s a pile of dirt or sand and it attacks the tree from the inside, weakening it and affecting its nutrient supply channel.
It can also lead to damage to the roots and that is a huge problem, because if the roots are unhealthy, then the tree will wither away in no time. You need to look out for these beetles. They’re small, but they’re slender and they are darkish in color, so you want to get rid of them by spraying the tree down with pesticide or even introducing natural predators like birds and bigger insects.
Phytophthora Infestation
Phytophthora infestation is caused by the fungus of the same name. It is a major and deadly fungus that attacks the fine roots of the American beech tree. After this, the fungus goes for the main roots and after that, it’s dark and deadly as far as the fate of the tree is concerned.
It is a very serious fungal infestation and it can also cause immense sap flow, which can also lead to other things latching onto the tree. If the infestation has spread, you should consider cutting down the tree by hiring tree removal companies Potomac.
Leaf Fungi
Beech tree leaves can also be exposed to the fungus. It will start out as a whitish spray of powder-like substance on the leaves. It can also be present on the underside of the leaves. Just like that, the fungus can spread and it can make its way up to the branches of the tree.
This is highly dangerous because once the leaves are affected, other parts of the tree won’t be safe either. So, you want to keep a lookout for that mysterious powdery mildew or deposits on the American beech tree.
Nectria Bark Disease
This is also a fungal disease and it is identified by the appearance of lesions on the tree. They are red and they stand out, so you’ll be able to identify these lesions easily. In severe cases, the fungus can also cause cankers and beech tree necrosis, which is just as harmful to the tree as anything else.
So, you should ensure that the tree is not thriving in an overly humid and wet climate because that can be detrimental to it and its health in general. Usually, fungicide sprays and cleaning of the tree will prevent the condition from worsening.
Conclusion
These are the common diseases American beech trees suffer from. If notice any symptoms or if the tree is leaning, call in emergency tree services Kensington.