Sick Trees - Ask Extension
Hello! I have two sick trees in my yard (not sure the variety, but they have beautiful pink flowers in the spring for maybe a week or so that give way...
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Sick Trees #463044
Asked June 17, 2018, 1:40 PM EDT
Hello! I have two sick trees in my yard (not sure the variety, but they have beautiful pink flowers in the spring for maybe a week or so that give way to berries). For the past few years I've had problems with mushrooms at the bases of both of these trees, and some suckers, and I never really put a lot of thought as to why. The mushrooms and suckers have gotten really bad this year and after doing some reading, I have come to the conclusion that this is a sick tree, hence the suckers, mushrooms and dead branches. Forgive me for ignoring them until now, believe me, I wish I had been paying attention before this point. What is the recommendation for these trees? Should I remove the dead branches now, or should I wait until winter? Should I be feeding them anything or spraying them with something to help them along? How about mowing around them and weed-eating? Thank you!
Burleigh County North Dakota
Expert Response
Hi Gardener,
These appear to be crabapple trees. It's not unusual for crabapples and other fruit trees to send out suckers. Trees under stress have a tendency to sucker more; this is a survival instinct of the tree to send out new shoots in case the "mother" tree dies. However, the amount of suckering that appears in these photos is normal and does not indicate any stress on the tree.
I don't see any mushrooms at the base of the tree in the photos. Where are they? Large mushrooms at the base of the tree can be a cause for concern, but there is very little you can do about them. Anyhow, I don't see any mushrooms at the base of these trees. Maybe you can take a close-up photo of them and send them to me.
The one tree appears to have a major branch that is dying or dead. If it is a dead branch, you can trim it out anytime. The sooner, the better.
Are you sure it is dead? Maybe it isn't. Did it have a problem last year? What do you think caused the problem? Were the leaves eaten by caterpillars this spring? Or perhaps you see the end of the branch is scorched, suggesting fire blight. I would look toward the trunk of the tree where the dying branch connects to the trunk -- do you see any discoloration or rotting there? This could be a branch canker. Some more photos here showing a close-up of the branch or the trunk/branch connection area would be helpful.
To answer your other questions:
Spraying: You don't need to be spraying the trees with anything.
Fertilizing: The leaf color looks dark green, which indicates they are getting enough nutrients now in the soil.
Mowing: Be careful when you mow around any tree. Do not damage the bark. You could put a ring of shredded bark around the base of the tree to act as a buffer zone between the tree and the grass.
Suckers: Keep mowing them down.
Let me know if you have any more information or follow-up questions. I would welcome some more photos, especially of the mushrooms or the dying branch. You can send them through this Ask-An-Expert system to send them directly to me at my email: <personal data hidden>.
Regards,
Tom
These appear to be crabapple trees. It's not unusual for crabapples and other fruit trees to send out suckers. Trees under stress have a tendency to sucker more; this is a survival instinct of the tree to send out new shoots in case the "mother" tree dies. However, the amount of suckering that appears in these photos is normal and does not indicate any stress on the tree.
I don't see any mushrooms at the base of the tree in the photos. Where are they? Large mushrooms at the base of the tree can be a cause for concern, but there is very little you can do about them. Anyhow, I don't see any mushrooms at the base of these trees. Maybe you can take a close-up photo of them and send them to me.
The one tree appears to have a major branch that is dying or dead. If it is a dead branch, you can trim it out anytime. The sooner, the better.
Are you sure it is dead? Maybe it isn't. Did it have a problem last year? What do you think caused the problem? Were the leaves eaten by caterpillars this spring? Or perhaps you see the end of the branch is scorched, suggesting fire blight. I would look toward the trunk of the tree where the dying branch connects to the trunk -- do you see any discoloration or rotting there? This could be a branch canker. Some more photos here showing a close-up of the branch or the trunk/branch connection area would be helpful.
To answer your other questions:
Spraying: You don't need to be spraying the trees with anything.
Fertilizing: The leaf color looks dark green, which indicates they are getting enough nutrients now in the soil.
Mowing: Be careful when you mow around any tree. Do not damage the bark. You could put a ring of shredded bark around the base of the tree to act as a buffer zone between the tree and the grass.
Suckers: Keep mowing them down.
Let me know if you have any more information or follow-up questions. I would welcome some more photos, especially of the mushrooms or the dying branch. You can send them through this Ask-An-Expert system to send them directly to me at my email: <personal data hidden>.
Regards,
Tom
Thank you for the reply, Tom. Unfortunately, I had spent 30 minutes picking the mushrooms before I thought to take the picture and send it to you. I would bet that I picked 300-400 of those buggers, and I picked another 20 yesterday after I got home from work. Many other people in my neighborhood have these trees and none of them are sending suckers, that's what made me concerned our were sick with something. I started noticing the suckers and mushrooms maybe 3 years ago, but they kind of just exploded this year, which made me back up and really take a look at these trees, so I'm not certain how long the branches have been in bad shape (forgive me for not noticing earlier and not having a better idea of how long they've been like this. I start my days usually around 5:00 am and they end around 9:30 pm with so there's not a whole lot of standing back and noticing the foliage in my life :) ). Thanks so much for all of your help!
I'll take some more pictures tonight and post.
It would be good to see a photo of the mushrooms.
In general, the presence of mushrooms at the base of the tree suggests there is a fungus in the trunk and/or crown of the tree. This is not good. By the time you start noticing mushrooms, this fungus is well established inside the tree. There is no way to remove the fungus from the trunk or crown of the tree. Picking off the mushrooms has little benefit since the fungal strands are deeply embedded in the wood. Fungicide sprays won't help either.
The fungus inside the tree will eventually stop the flow of water from the roots to the rest of the tree. You will start noticing the top branches dying back. Some trees live for decades with such fungi. Again, there is nothing you can do about it, except to help the tree to be otherwise healthy.
Different varieties of crabapples sucker more than others. Suckers can be a sign of stress on the tree, but don't worry about them. If you keep them mowed, they are harmless. Even healthy trees will send out suckers.
As far as what you can do, focus on the dying/dead branch. Is it dead or not? If yes, trim it out. Let me know if you have any more information/photos or questions.
- Tom
In general, the presence of mushrooms at the base of the tree suggests there is a fungus in the trunk and/or crown of the tree. This is not good. By the time you start noticing mushrooms, this fungus is well established inside the tree. There is no way to remove the fungus from the trunk or crown of the tree. Picking off the mushrooms has little benefit since the fungal strands are deeply embedded in the wood. Fungicide sprays won't help either.
The fungus inside the tree will eventually stop the flow of water from the roots to the rest of the tree. You will start noticing the top branches dying back. Some trees live for decades with such fungi. Again, there is nothing you can do about it, except to help the tree to be otherwise healthy.
Different varieties of crabapples sucker more than others. Suckers can be a sign of stress on the tree, but don't worry about them. If you keep them mowed, they are harmless. Even healthy trees will send out suckers.
As far as what you can do, focus on the dying/dead branch. Is it dead or not? If yes, trim it out. Let me know if you have any more information/photos or questions.
- Tom
Tom,
I have taken more pictures and I'm fearful this is no good. The mushrooms have not returned in the past 2 days, but I did manage to get a picture of 1 I must have missed. All mushrooms grew in the grass under the tree and up to 4 or 5 feet away. The one tree is in way worse shape than the other, but I noticed this odd bug on it, and something appears to be boring holes in the tree and leaving what looks like saw dust on the ground. I am thinking the bug is of the Megarhyssa spp.
I have taken more pictures and I'm fearful this is no good. The mushrooms have not returned in the past 2 days, but I did manage to get a picture of 1 I must have missed. All mushrooms grew in the grass under the tree and up to 4 or 5 feet away. The one tree is in way worse shape than the other, but I noticed this odd bug on it, and something appears to be boring holes in the tree and leaving what looks like saw dust on the ground. I am thinking the bug is of the Megarhyssa spp.
More Pictures
Last Pictures
Thanks for these photos.
In the first photo, you can see a major wound that was created. I'm not sure how it got created, but it is slowly sealing up.
The most important photos show borer holes. Borers are attracted to trees under stress. They lay eggs in the tree. The eggs hatch into borer larvae (caterpillars) that create tunnels and cause internal damage to the tree. When done feeding, the larvae turn into adults and burrow out of the tree, creating these exit holes.
The parasitic wasps (great photos!) sense that borers are inside the tree. They use a long and skinny ovipositor to lay their eggs into the borers inside the tree. These eggs will hatch and eat the borers. The wasps themselves are harmless but they are a sign that you have a major borer problem. The borers indicate you have a tree that is under stress.
One such stress could be that you likely have a root rot (perhaps Armillaria) in your tree. This is evidenced by the mushrooms. This root rot, along with the borers will destroy the ability of the tree to pump water up to the branches and this will cause the tree to die. The first signs will be dying back of the upper limbs since they are farthest away from the water supply.
Okay, so what do we do about all of this?
First, we need to acknowledge this tree's best days are behind it. It will decline to the point where it will be unattractive and then will need to be removed. When you remove it, we want to make sure you do not replace it with another crabapple for at least a couple years. We want the root rot fungus to die in the soil. It will be better to select a different type of tree that is not susceptible to root rot.
If we want to save the tree, we could start by killing the borers. There are soil drenches available at garden centers (for example, Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insecticide) that will kill borers inside the tree for 12 months.
This does not address the root rot. Our best approach will be to try to keep the tree in good health, so it can tolerate the rot. Water the tree during droughty weather. No fungicides will help. If you start noticing the tree's leaves are yellowing, fertilizer can help. Do this in spring. Trees can live for many years with root rot as long as they are properly watered.
Trim out the dead branches. You can do this now.
Once borers get inside trees, it's hard to save the tree. A general rule is if more than 1/3 of the tree has died back, there is so much internal damage that the tree cannot be saved.
You can kill the borers, then water the tree when needed, trim out the dead branches, and this tree may have a fighting chance. Good luck!
Let me know if you have any follow-up questions.
Regards,
Tom
In the first photo, you can see a major wound that was created. I'm not sure how it got created, but it is slowly sealing up.
The most important photos show borer holes. Borers are attracted to trees under stress. They lay eggs in the tree. The eggs hatch into borer larvae (caterpillars) that create tunnels and cause internal damage to the tree. When done feeding, the larvae turn into adults and burrow out of the tree, creating these exit holes.
The parasitic wasps (great photos!) sense that borers are inside the tree. They use a long and skinny ovipositor to lay their eggs into the borers inside the tree. These eggs will hatch and eat the borers. The wasps themselves are harmless but they are a sign that you have a major borer problem. The borers indicate you have a tree that is under stress.
One such stress could be that you likely have a root rot (perhaps Armillaria) in your tree. This is evidenced by the mushrooms. This root rot, along with the borers will destroy the ability of the tree to pump water up to the branches and this will cause the tree to die. The first signs will be dying back of the upper limbs since they are farthest away from the water supply.
Okay, so what do we do about all of this?
First, we need to acknowledge this tree's best days are behind it. It will decline to the point where it will be unattractive and then will need to be removed. When you remove it, we want to make sure you do not replace it with another crabapple for at least a couple years. We want the root rot fungus to die in the soil. It will be better to select a different type of tree that is not susceptible to root rot.
If we want to save the tree, we could start by killing the borers. There are soil drenches available at garden centers (for example, Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insecticide) that will kill borers inside the tree for 12 months.
This does not address the root rot. Our best approach will be to try to keep the tree in good health, so it can tolerate the rot. Water the tree during droughty weather. No fungicides will help. If you start noticing the tree's leaves are yellowing, fertilizer can help. Do this in spring. Trees can live for many years with root rot as long as they are properly watered.
Trim out the dead branches. You can do this now.
Once borers get inside trees, it's hard to save the tree. A general rule is if more than 1/3 of the tree has died back, there is so much internal damage that the tree cannot be saved.
You can kill the borers, then water the tree when needed, trim out the dead branches, and this tree may have a fighting chance. Good luck!
Let me know if you have any follow-up questions.
Regards,
Tom
Thank you for such a thorough explanation, Tom. I think we will probably take these trees out, and wait a few years before we replant. For future reference, what causes root rot and is there something we possibly did to these trees to cause this? We've been there 6 years and I would guess this started 3 or 4 years ago in hindsight. Lots of kids climb these trees and we admittedly probably mow too close to the tree. Could either of these be our problem? Thanks again.
Hi,
No tree lives forever. Boulevard trees have a rough life (limited amount of soil; lots of pollution around; lots of lawn mowers and weed whips; compacted ground; and exposure to salt from sidewalks/roads during winter).
That said, it would be helpful to avoid wounding the tree. Such wounds are opening for diseases to enter.
Be careful when mowing around the tree. The most precious wood of the tree is located just beneath the bark. This is where the new growth comes from, as well as where much of the water and nutrients flow. One way to protect the bark is to put a ring of wood mulch around it. When it comes to mulching, follow the rule of 3-3-3: Apply the mulch so that it is 3 feet in diameter, 3 inches deep, and with no mulch within 3 inches of the trunk.
I've never heard of kids climbing in trees to cause any troubles for the tree.
Lawn mowers kill trees, but fun-loving kids won't.
There is no way to know when these trees began to suffer. It could have started many years ago. I see an old wound in one of the photos.
Good luck!
- Tom
No tree lives forever. Boulevard trees have a rough life (limited amount of soil; lots of pollution around; lots of lawn mowers and weed whips; compacted ground; and exposure to salt from sidewalks/roads during winter).
That said, it would be helpful to avoid wounding the tree. Such wounds are opening for diseases to enter.
Be careful when mowing around the tree. The most precious wood of the tree is located just beneath the bark. This is where the new growth comes from, as well as where much of the water and nutrients flow. One way to protect the bark is to put a ring of wood mulch around it. When it comes to mulching, follow the rule of 3-3-3: Apply the mulch so that it is 3 feet in diameter, 3 inches deep, and with no mulch within 3 inches of the trunk.
I've never heard of kids climbing in trees to cause any troubles for the tree.
Lawn mowers kill trees, but fun-loving kids won't.
There is no way to know when these trees began to suffer. It could have started many years ago. I see an old wound in one of the photos.
Good luck!
- Tom
