Dead Aspen trees - Ask Extension
Several of our Aspen did not come out this Spring. I cut one down and have the pictures attached. It looks like it started on the top since the lowe...
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Dead Aspen trees #667014
Asked July 21, 2020, 3:11 PM EDT
Several of our Aspen did not come out this Spring. I cut one down and have the pictures attached. It looks like it started on the top since the lower part of the tree has bark that looks OK. There is also nan orange streak running down the tree.
Is there anything we can do to protect the remaining trees.
Is there anything we can do to protect the remaining trees.
Summit County Colorado
Expert Response
Hello,
Have you seen any other symptoms, like bore holes or insect galleries (tunnels) beneath the bark (see picture below)? Orange liquid can ooze out of borer exit holes and stain the tree. Also cytospora canker can sometimes turn the bark orange but not usually in a line. However it can also cause orange liquid to ooze out of the canker. Are there any cracks or sunken or large black areas on other sections of the bark? Aspens are also very sensitive to drought and heat and often the symptoms of this will show as dieback from the top down. Did the trees leaf out completely last year? Did the leaves look healthy and normal last year? Also has there been anything done in the aspen grove like construction in the past several years? This is a news article about aspen death due to drought and heat: https://news.byu.edu/news/why-are-aspen-dying
Have you seen any other symptoms, like bore holes or insect galleries (tunnels) beneath the bark (see picture below)? Orange liquid can ooze out of borer exit holes and stain the tree. Also cytospora canker can sometimes turn the bark orange but not usually in a line. However it can also cause orange liquid to ooze out of the canker. Are there any cracks or sunken or large black areas on other sections of the bark? Aspens are also very sensitive to drought and heat and often the symptoms of this will show as dieback from the top down. Did the trees leaf out completely last year? Did the leaves look healthy and normal last year? Also has there been anything done in the aspen grove like construction in the past several years? This is a news article about aspen death due to drought and heat: https://news.byu.edu/news/why-are-aspen-dying
