Tri-color beech devastation - Ask Extension
I live in northern Illinois and inherited this tree when we purchased the property 7 years ago. It has been beautiful every year but last year (2023) ...
Knowledgebase
Tri-color beech devastation #867940
Asked May 10, 2024, 6:42 PM EDT
I live in northern Illinois and inherited this tree when we purchased the property 7 years ago. It has been beautiful every year but last year (2023) it was spectacular. This spring growth has been sporadic and the leaves that have come out appear blistered. The blisters seem to be black. There are only a few leaves on each branch. As you know, we have had an unusual spring with late freezes and thaw cycles. The recent hailstorm came after these few leaves appears. The soil is nice and black and drains well. It was mulched a few weeks ago. I absolutely love this tree. What could be so traumatic to cause this? Can you help?
Cook County Illinois
Expert Response
Hello Elise,
I'd say the most likely reason for the leaf malformation and sparse early leaf emergence has to do with the late freezes and hail you mentioned, which could have damaged budding leaves enough to cause the observed damage but not enough to kill the bud completely. But there could be other possibilities as well. If you continue to see malformation and the "blisters" you described on leaves that emerge weeks after any late freezes, then there may be a separate issue.
In the pictures you supplied, it was hard for me to make out any blister structures, sometimes called "galls" when discussing trees. There are a number of reasons for tree gall formation, and one that can occur in beech trees is Erineum patch, caused by eriophyid mites.
https://dec.ny.gov/nature/forests-trees/forest-health/forest-health-beech-leaf-disease
https://bygl.osu.edu/index.php/node/751#:~:text=Erineum%20Patches%20may%20be%20found,velvet%20galls%20or%20felt%20galls.
But it is good to note that Erineum patch is reported as rarely affecting the overall health of the tree.
And the last thing you mentioned was that the tree was recently mulched. I'll just mention that a couple common issues when mulching trees is applying the mulch too thick and/or overwatering. I've included a link below to an article about proper mulching technique for trees, and just remember that if watering the tree, you don't want the soil to be overly moist or "waterlogged".
https://extension.illinois.edu/news-releases/too-much-good-thing-mulch-volcanoes-slowly-kill-trees
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any follow-up questions or updates after a few more weeks of growth on the tree.
Talon Becker
Illinois Extension
I'd say the most likely reason for the leaf malformation and sparse early leaf emergence has to do with the late freezes and hail you mentioned, which could have damaged budding leaves enough to cause the observed damage but not enough to kill the bud completely. But there could be other possibilities as well. If you continue to see malformation and the "blisters" you described on leaves that emerge weeks after any late freezes, then there may be a separate issue.
In the pictures you supplied, it was hard for me to make out any blister structures, sometimes called "galls" when discussing trees. There are a number of reasons for tree gall formation, and one that can occur in beech trees is Erineum patch, caused by eriophyid mites.
https://dec.ny.gov/nature/forests-trees/forest-health/forest-health-beech-leaf-disease
https://bygl.osu.edu/index.php/node/751#:~:text=Erineum%20Patches%20may%20be%20found,velvet%20galls%20or%20felt%20galls.
But it is good to note that Erineum patch is reported as rarely affecting the overall health of the tree.
And the last thing you mentioned was that the tree was recently mulched. I'll just mention that a couple common issues when mulching trees is applying the mulch too thick and/or overwatering. I've included a link below to an article about proper mulching technique for trees, and just remember that if watering the tree, you don't want the soil to be overly moist or "waterlogged".
https://extension.illinois.edu/news-releases/too-much-good-thing-mulch-volcanoes-slowly-kill-trees
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any follow-up questions or updates after a few more weeks of growth on the tree.
Talon Becker
Illinois Extension
