Sudden Oak Death: The Facts

Taking care of the trees on your property is important to help you keep property values high and to prevent damage during storms or other events that could bring them down. Dusty’s Tree Service is here to provide a variety of professional tree service options to you so you can rest assured your home and property are safe. For years we’ve helped residents in the Central Florida areas to preserve their trees, help with tree stump removal, and even with preventing disease.

As part of our affordable tree service options, we work with clients to diagnose Sudden Oak Death if it has invaded the property. While it is not all that common here in Florida, it’s important to know the signs it has come on your land. Discover below what you should know about this disease that can wreak havoc on your property.

What Is Sudden Oak Death?

This is a disease that can totally change the ecology of an area if left unchecked. It is caused by a specific type of water mold called Phytophthora ramorum. Knowing the symptoms of this dangerous disease and what to do when you find it is important to help stop the spread. There are various oak trees that can be affected by this disease including: Southern red oak, Bigleaf and planetree maple, Horse Chestnut, and Bay Laurel to name a few.

Facts To Know

There are several things you should know about this disease and what it can do. They include:

Symptoms

The most prominent sign that first appears happens with the leaves of the trees. They appear to be scorched in areas that look like a bullseye. The leaves may also shrivel or curl up. You may also notice sunken or swollen areas on the bark or branches of the tree itself.

Spreading

While scientists believe it was brought to the U.S. from ornamental plants, there are several different ways it can spread here. If the fungus is on a plant, it can spread by transplanting those plants to other areas. Wind-blown rain can also cause the disease to spread. It can also come from water or soil that is infected. Using tools or even your hands being used from one infected tree to another non-infected tree can cause the disease to transfer.

Must remove trees

If you do have this type of disease on the property, it is vital that you work with an experienced tree removal service like ours to get the infection cleared off your property. These trees must be completely removed to help prevent the further spread of Sudden Oak Death to the other vegetation on your land.

What To Do If You Notice Signs

The best thing to do if you notice any type of disease signs on your trees is to give our office a call. One of our certified arborists will come to the home and inspect the trees in question. We can diagnose the various issues that may be going on and give you a plan to safely remove any fungus or diseased items. You’ll be able to restore the beauty and safety of your property while protecting other vegetation from infestation. We provide thorough evaluations of the entire property. Checking trees in question and inform you of the best route to take.

While Sudden Oak Death is not all that common, it can still wreak havoc on areas when it does show up. That’s why you always want professional tree service on your side sooner than later. Having an evaluation regularly of your property can help prevent unknown issues from growing into larger problems.

Call a Trained Professional

Your trees could be in danger from other issues as well such as drought, heat, or even root disease. That’s why it is so important to have regular checks on the trees and to clear away any issues before they spread to your property.

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