Given below is a list of some common diseases of birch trees. Birch leafminers are the larvae of tiny wasps called black sawflies. Anthracnose diseases, caused by Marssonina and Discula pathogens, form angular blotches instead of round spots. Victoria Lee Blackstone is a horticulturist and a professional writer who has authored research-based scientific/technical papers, horticultural articles, and magazine and newspaper articles. The Maryland Cooperative Extension notes that birch leaf diseases on mature trees do not generally require chemical pesticides. Some varieties have reddish and yellowish bark, but even more highly valued are the white-barked types. The first indication of a birch tree that’s infested with the bronze birch borer is yellowing, sparse foliage in the crown. You’ll want to find a tree service that does tree trimming for these trees every few years to raise lower branches and to thin out the crown of the tree. Dieback and canker diseases from pathogens such as Melanconium betulinum, Nectria galligena and Botryosphaeria species attack bark and cambium layers of birch trees. Some varieties have … A birch leaf miner infestation rarely kills birch trees on its own but it is disfiguring and can weaken a tree making it susceptible to borer attack. Comprehensive details about visible damage as well as control measures accompany each image to help you get a handle on what is troubling your tree. These are insects that specifically infest birch trees. The Jury Is Out – What’s the Best Weed Killer? The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service notes the two most pervasive insect pests of birch trees are Would you like to write for us? There are no chemical controls that kill feeding larvae, according to the Maryland Cooperative Extension, and affected branches must be pruned immediately to control the spread of these pests. Victory Gardening in 2020: Spring is Not Cancelled, Green Pavement Creates Beautiful Environmental Solutions, Timing, Timing, Timing: When to Mulch Your Garden & Yard. Get in touch with us and we'll talk... Apart from those mentioned above, there are some pests that commonly affect these trees. As they feed, they mine through birch leaves, creating pale tunnels. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The University of California recommends planting birch species that are less susceptible to leafminers, such as river birch (B. nigra) and European white birch (B. pendula). It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service notes the two most pervasive insect pests of birch trees are the birch leafminer (Fenusa pusilla) and the bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius). Infected branches need pruning back to healthy wood to try and stave off the spread of these diseases. Plant them in a cool, moist, and shady region. Cultural practices include timely watering (during dry weather), fertilizing, mulching, moderate pruning; and removal of dead and dying birch trees, so as to prevent infestation of borers. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Birch trees require regular care, including pest and disease control; to grow healthy and to thrive. We hope you are enjoying Gardenerdy! Basically all trees are prone to certain diseases, and the birch is no exception. Fungal diseases from various pathogens cause leaf spots, blotches and blisters on birch trees. So while planting birch trees, get disease-resistant variants, and take care of them in the proper manner. Still remember that when a trunk canker develops, the tree may begin to compartmentalize off the area by sealing wood cells off around the canker. If a large canker is on the main trunk, the tree may ultimately need to be replaced. Eventually, tunnels turn brown and dead leaves often drop from trees. No chemical controls manage these diseases. They include the bronze birch borer, birch leaf miner, and aphids. These borers are beetle larvae that burrow underneath bark and feed on vascular tissue, which is responsible for nutrient transport in trees. You will find a lot of wonderful information on birch trees, including information about the birch tree species, planting information, and much more. You may also notice a zigzag pattern of welts or ridges, which is a definite sign of the bronze birch borer. Even though their lifespan is around 40 to 50 years, most of these trees die before they reach maturity. However, these trees are notoriously short-lived and tend to start "declining" after reaching about 40 or 50 feet in height. The trees affected by this disease produce slime that oozes out, and this slime is consumed by insects. Birch trees are much valued for their looks, and are very commonly used for landscaping. You must choose comparatively sturdy and disease-resistant types of birch trees, that are suitable for the local climate. Since the birch trees are domesticated, its infection by the birch tree disease gives the owners an headache. There are some maintenance considerations to keep in mind if you have Birch trees on your property. display colorful and textural bark qualities that are unusual among tree species. A Guide to Birch Tree Pests and Diseases Birch trees display colorful and textural bark qualities that are unusual among tree species. The adult bronze birch borer looks like a tiny, long football and is olive to brown with coppery metallic wings and body. These University of Arkansas fact sheets FSA7533, Anthracnose Diseases of Common Landscape Trees, and FSA7564, Anthracnose Diseases of Dogwood, along with U.S. Forest Service publication, Anthracnose Diseases of Eastern Hardwoods, provide more information about anthracnose diseases. Stressed trees succumb to diseases more easily, so it’s important to maintain tree health by watering and fertilizing plants properly. After studying botany and microbiology at Clemson University, Blackstone was hired as a University of Georgia Master Gardener Coordinator. If you want to keep your white birch tree healthy, keep a close eye on it so that you can avert diseases and infections before they ever have a chance to take hold of the tree. Birch trees are susceptible to a type of fungal disease called. In order to grow healthy birch trees, proper care is required, right from the stage of planting. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Some varieties have reddish and yellowish bark, but even more highly valued are the white-barked types. In elm trees, bacteria Enterobacter cloacae are the cause of slime flux, but numerous other bacteria have been associated with this condition in other trees, such as willow, ash, maple, birch, hickory, beech, oak, sycamore, cherry, and yellow-poplar. Bronze birch borer Of the number of pests which are attracted the birch trees, the bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius) is the … Birches also succumb to diseases that infect foliage, branches and trunks. We provide informative articles about gardening, lawn care and landscaping that you can come back to again and again when you have questions or want to learn more! Diseased tissue enlarges and kills living tissue underneath bark. It lays eggs under loose pieces of bark at the top of the tree. Apart from that, regular maintenance, with proper cultural practices are also necessary. Get to work diagnosing tree diseases with our pictoral summary of 10 common tree diseases. Diseases and pest attacks may affect the beauty as well as the lifespan of birch trees. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. There are several damaging birch tree diseases and pests. Taphrina species cause blisters that may initially be yellow, red or green but eventually turn brown. Well, we're looking for good writers who want to spread the word. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Cylindrosporium and Septoria cause small spots with no borders and Colletotrichum causes larger brown spots with darker borders. Birch trees (Betula spp.) One of the most common problems comes about as a result of two different types of aphids, the European birch and common birch varieties. Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there! On younger trees, preventive copper or sulfur fungicidal sprays at bud break in spring may help these diseases from gaining a stronghold. It slowly migrated and is now found in abundance as far south as Klamath Falls, according to It is an invasive wood-boring beetle whose larvae bore into the layers of the tree … A mysterious disease is starting to kill American beeches, one of … To control canker disease on trees, cut off the affected branch or limb using proper pruning methods. The condition can be identified by the presence of slime, and discoloration of the core and wood. A Guide to Birch Tree Pests & Diseases. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website.