Help! What is this black stuff killing my customer's trees?

10 years ago

Hello-

I have a customer that is asking me what is wrong with his tree that is killing it from the top down and how to stop it and save his tree. These are Cedar Elms fyi. It is like a black fungus as you can see, but I am unsure what it is exactly. I am located in the central Texas area. Any idea what this is and how to stop it?

[IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/2m29vrr.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/mczqz5.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i41.tinypic.com/22mdt3.jpg[/IMG]

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:369140}}

Featured Answer

taoist10

9 years ago

It is almost certainly black knot disease. This is a serious infection you have, so check the tips here at https://www.natlarb.com/html/black_knot_tree_disease.html. Great page explaining the fungus, although I have seen it beyond plum trees and into common shrubs and twigs as well.

Comments (14)

Clide
Original Author
10 years ago
Here is another picture
Clide
Original Author
10 years ago
and the last picture.............
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RugbyHukr
10 years ago
If it is not Dutch Elm Disease, it may be Dothiorella or cankers

Here is a link that might be useful: cankers
lou_spicewood_tx
10 years ago
Central texas? That's where I live now. Where exactly?
arktrees
10 years ago
I don't know what is happening to those elms you are seeing. I have to wonder if it is not something secondary, though I have no real evidence of that, other than the droughts of the last couple years. Locally, I am seeing ALLOT mature elm suddenly collapsing and dieing over the last month.I've been attributing it to the last two exceptionally bad summers we have had, weakening them against pathogens. Even if traditional weather rules, there will be tree death for the next 4-5 years due to the last two years.

Arktrees
wisconsitom
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Taoist, I don't know, but I too suspect the black stuff-is it a moss or a lichen?-are either coincidental or secondary to whatever factor(s) might be doing these trees in. Then again, like I say, I'm not certain what you've got there. Black knot exclusive to Prunus, as far as I've ever seen or read. Hmmm?

+oM
brandon7 TN_zone7
9 years ago
Definitely not black knot. Ironically, Taoist's link pretty much proves that. I agree that it's "secondary". It's hard to tell, from the pictures, if the black areas are raised or flat. If flat, I'd suspect sooty mold. If raised, lichen, maybe.
Smivies (Ontario - 5b)
9 years ago
Black Knot fungus has a very specific host...stone fruit (Prunus). Cedar Elm is an Elm...completely unrelated. Not Black Knot. Dutch Elm disease is my suspicion.
brandon7 TN_zone7
9 years ago
...but the black stuff in the picture is not Dutch elm disease.
gardener365
9 years ago
It looks like black sooty mold caused from scale. Might be?? Gossyparia spuria?? Better to ask an extension agent in your area if no-one here nails it down.
wisconsitom
9 years ago
Yeah, def. not Dutch elm disease. It doesn't present anything like that. With DED, you get wilting of individual leads, which gradually....or I should say quickly, spreads to whole tree. Death is often rapid. Seen a few hundred thousand of those.......

+oM
jqpublic
9 years ago
Would love to have a full pic (including ground). Almost looks like the type of die-off you see when there has been construction too close to the roots of established trees. Perhaps the black stuff being secondary damage incurred upon a tree with a damaged root system.
wisconsitom
9 years ago
Agreed^. Thin crown, loosening bark....these suggest root damage (Although that seems counterintuitive to some).

+oM

Help! What is this black stuff killing my customer's trees?

taoist10

Comments (14)

Clide
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Help! What is this black stuff killing my customer's trees?

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