Apple Tree Issue - Ask Extension
Hello,
Over last few years our backyard apple tree has been in decline. Less fruit, branches dying.
The tree is ~30 years old.
There is what appe...
Knowledgebase
Apple Tree Issue #892693
Asked February 16, 2025, 9:40 AM EST
Hello,
Over last few years our backyard apple tree has been in decline. Less fruit, branches dying.
The tree is ~30 years old.
There is what appears to be a lichen growing on most branches. How to deal with this? Spray?
Any input appreciated.
Thanks, J. Cole
Baltimore City County Maryland
Expert Response
Lichen is harmless and does not need removal (and attempting to do so could hurt the tree). It can become more prolific on trees in decline because, as the canopy thins-out and dies back, more light and rainwater is reaching the bark for the lichen to benefit from.
Why the apple is in decline (and if it's reversible) is hard to determine; a wide variety of factors can cause trees to die back or struggle. Stress and injury (such as trunk damage from a mower or string trimmer, if lawn grows around the tree) can predispose the tree to wood-boring insect attack or colonization by wood-infecting fungi or bacteria. None of those issues can be cured once they occur, though not all cases of borers or canker are fatal. Apples (and many other fruit trees) are high-maintenance plants, and need regular pruning to maintain good branching, both for the health of the tree overall and to help support a good harvest. A tree in desperate need of rehab pruning might be able to be salvaged, though it could take a few years to reach its fruiting potential again.
A reduction in fruit could result from stresses on the tree, and/or from poor pollination or other insect/disease issues. If you know the cultivar of apple, that can determine if a pollinator is required for fruiting (only some varieties fruit by themselves), which could be addressed by planting another compatible apple variety or possibly even a crabapple. A laboratory soil test can measure soil nutrient content as well as acidity (pH) in case it's drifted outside of the range that apples prefer, since pH impacts how easily roots can access soil nutrients.
Our Growing Apple and Pear Trees page provides information on both regular tree care and maintenance as well as which issues are likely to affect the health of a tree. (Apples are combined with pears on this page because they require similar care and are affected by many of the same pests and diseases.) Knowing which variety you're growing will also dictate which diseases it may be more susceptible to, since vulnerability varies from one cultivar to another. The page includes a link to the Virginia Tech publication that recommends particular insecticide or fungicide options for the management and suppression of common fruit tree pests/diseases. Their information generally applies to Maryland fruit growers as well, so we use it as a guide for home fruit growers.
Although UMD Extension does not maintain a list of landscaping businesses or collect information on their services (nor do we suggest particular companies (the list below is not an endorsement or recommendation)), we are aware of at least three businesses/persons in central Maryland that have provided fruit tree pruning services:
Miri
Why the apple is in decline (and if it's reversible) is hard to determine; a wide variety of factors can cause trees to die back or struggle. Stress and injury (such as trunk damage from a mower or string trimmer, if lawn grows around the tree) can predispose the tree to wood-boring insect attack or colonization by wood-infecting fungi or bacteria. None of those issues can be cured once they occur, though not all cases of borers or canker are fatal. Apples (and many other fruit trees) are high-maintenance plants, and need regular pruning to maintain good branching, both for the health of the tree overall and to help support a good harvest. A tree in desperate need of rehab pruning might be able to be salvaged, though it could take a few years to reach its fruiting potential again.
A reduction in fruit could result from stresses on the tree, and/or from poor pollination or other insect/disease issues. If you know the cultivar of apple, that can determine if a pollinator is required for fruiting (only some varieties fruit by themselves), which could be addressed by planting another compatible apple variety or possibly even a crabapple. A laboratory soil test can measure soil nutrient content as well as acidity (pH) in case it's drifted outside of the range that apples prefer, since pH impacts how easily roots can access soil nutrients.
Our Growing Apple and Pear Trees page provides information on both regular tree care and maintenance as well as which issues are likely to affect the health of a tree. (Apples are combined with pears on this page because they require similar care and are affected by many of the same pests and diseases.) Knowing which variety you're growing will also dictate which diseases it may be more susceptible to, since vulnerability varies from one cultivar to another. The page includes a link to the Virginia Tech publication that recommends particular insecticide or fungicide options for the management and suppression of common fruit tree pests/diseases. Their information generally applies to Maryland fruit growers as well, so we use it as a guide for home fruit growers.
Although UMD Extension does not maintain a list of landscaping businesses or collect information on their services (nor do we suggest particular companies (the list below is not an endorsement or recommendation)), we are aware of at least three businesses/persons in central Maryland that have provided fruit tree pruning services:
- Velvet Touch Rose Care (Montgomery County)
- Edible Eden Foodscapes (Baltimore City), <personal data hidden>
- Chelsey McBride-Gill (<personal data hidden>)
Miri
