There are no trees that are as gentle and majestic as the Beech trees of New England. They are some of the oldest and largest trees in this area. Not only do they add beauty wherever they grow, but they also play a key role in many other facets of life. For instance, they provide shade and shelter to many animals and birds. During the fall months, there is great diversity in the color of their leaves as well. This is why beech leaf disease (BLD) is so devastating. Tree Craft Tree Service is here to talk about what beech leaf disease is and how it can be handled.
Identifying a Beech Tree
If you have a beech tree on your property, it is an easy one to distinguish from the others. First of all, these trees that have such a dense crown can grow as high as 80 feet in the air. Their leaves have serrated edges with long veins. The leaves are also quite large as they are 6 inches long and about 3 inches wide. You can tell if the tree is male or female from the color of their flowers. Male trees will have flowers that are yellow and female trees will have red flowers.
Signs Your Beech Tree is Infected with BLD
It doesn’t matter if you have a native or ornamental beech tree, they have both unfortunately been infected with BLD. The disease itself is caused by a small nematode worm that makes its way into the leaves of the tree. It leaves clear signs that infection has happened too. Most of the time, there are dark bands in the leaves of an infected tree. The leaves can also take on a leathery and curled shape that makes them look especially diseased. If a mature tree is infected, it can cause the tree to die within six years. 90% of saplings or starts will be infected an killed within five years.
How BLD is Treated
At this time, there is no clear solutions to treat BLD. This is why the disease is so devastating. There are several treatments that are in the works though. Whenever any sign of disease is spotted, it is important that it is reported to a local arborist so that they can give you some advice to help give your tree the best chances t survival. They can also share some tips to help avoid the spread of the disease.
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If you have noticed some of the signs of BLD on your beech trees, you need to let the arborists at Tree Craft Tree Service know right away. We can help you take precautions to give your tree the best chance at survival and offer tips that will hopefully help you protect your other trees from infestation. Anytime you have any concerns about any of your trees, we can help assist you to ensure your trees are healthy and thriving. Call us today!
