Another apparently severe threat to hardwood trees- beech leaf disease

[cory]

I was walking the dogs in the local woods open space as I often do, and a couple weeks ago noticed a bunch of beech trees looking stressed with leaf problems, wasn't sure what to make of it. Came back 2 weeks later and see the problems had definetly worsened. Where there are large patches of beech forest, the trees are so stressed/defoiliated, that there is 50% more light coming thru the canopy compared to nearby normal forest canopy.

Yesterday I noticed a couple of big beech trees looking totally afflicted in a yard adjacent to a custy's, said to myself wow I wonder what did in those trees (I had admired these trees for years, in passing) and a split second later realized they were blasted with the same symptoms as those I saw in the woods.

Goog reveals it is beech leaf disease, first discovered in Ohio.

Anyone else here seen it? Yet?

Very disturbing news in the wake of EAB.

Disease that can kill beech trees now widespread in Connecticut

A disease that can kill trees within several years of detection is now considered to be widespread in Connecticut.

www.wfsb.com

Beech Leaf Disease

Beech leaf disease (BLD) affects and kills both native and ornamental beech tree species. It is associated with a nematode, Litylenchus crenatae mccannii.

www.dec.ny.gov

 

[Altissimus]

Pleasant news ... sarcasm imogi

 

[pantheraba]

No exposure here to news or actual occurrence. Hate to hear it, though...lots of wonderful beech trees here.

 

[lxskllr]

Haven't seen it down here. Hope not to. Beech are some of my favorite trees.

The one comment the article got was from a moron. Usually my blocking of js also blocks comments. Makes the web so much better.

 

[cory]

Agreed, it is scary prospect. We have lots of beech trees here too, the woods are full of em.

Who knows, maybe it won't develop, one never knows. But the defoliated area I mentioned in the OP, probably about 2 football field in size. It's harsh to think of all those beech in that space dying.

 

[Mellow]

I noticed a lot of dead and declining beech trees when I was in Philadelphia a few weeks ago.

 

[cory]

Smh

 

[pigwot]

Mellow,
Philly is close by! Were you part of the crew Damean got together for the work at the Barnes Foundation?
I heard about it after the fact


Loss of beech is traumatic.

From the map it looks like it "jumped" to CT



Beech Bark Disease also rampant in the NorthEast

 

[pantheraba]

Good find.

 

[cory]

I've seen plenty of beech bark disease over the years, afaik it is not a serious issue re beech tree populations.

Beech leaf disease appears to be a serious threat but I'll have to wait and see with my own eyes how the trees mentioned in the OP do going forward.

 

[pantheraba]

Thanks for the distinction. Had not noticed.

 

[BeerGeek]

Amazing how that first map of Pat's show it almost completely skipping over the "armpit of America" state I live in. We've got a good number of beech here, so I'm chalking it up to all the chemical/pharma waste keeping it away...

 

[lxskllr]

Both those maps show some big jumps. It would be interesting to hear how they're accounted for.

 

[ruel]

Beech is functionally extinct as a timber tree in Maine from BBD. Virtually no clean stems over 12", very few standing over 18". They continue to root/stump sprout, but the sprouts usually max out at 6-10" /30' and riddled with cankers.

I'm sorry you might be losing yours, hope it holds off for many years.

 

[murphy4trees]

wow, another shame

 

[ruel]

Some pictures from West Harpswell, which wad badly affected by a combination of browntail and winter moths. Looked worse two years ago when close to 100% of the red oak were defoliated during early summer.

It is still gutting for me to drive through these places, particularly after watching the death of the hemlock forests I grew up walking. Glad I missed Dutch elm and chestnut blight, just dreading EAB.

 

[gf beranek]

incredible documentation today.

 

[flushcut]

Last I checked ash mortality was something like 96% in my county. Only the treated ones are left.

 

[cory]

Gutting indeed to see the mighty oaks succumbing.

Fwiw, elms are not extinct despite DED, I believe folks are working to bring back the chestnut, and who can say how ash's will fare, I still see little ones poking up here and there

 

[Altissimus]

The Ash are doomed

 

[lxskllr]

What happens when the borer runs out of ash? I mentioned earlier this year I found one on a downed locust I was cutting, and the one nosing around my cut spruce pile. Maybe they could adapt to bittersweet. Wouldn't that be grand?

 

[Al Smith]

Something is killing the hickory trees in this area ,big ones hundred footers .

 

[gf beranek]

Hopefully it's just a local thing.

 

[cory]

Something is killing the hickory trees in this area ,big ones hundred footers .

Yup. A good friend was in Iowa a month ago and saw the exact same thing out there. It's kinda mind boggling.

Update on beech leaf disease- there is no update, there is currently no treatment or prevention, beeches affected now are projected to be dead within 5 years.

EAB is such a sad thing. I removed 2 giant dead ash today (90'x40"). One I cut from the base and dropped it into the woods and the other I took apart with the terex before dropping rest into the woods. These were huge healthy trees 2-3 years ago, just doing their thing growing quietly and steadily into giant beautiful trees. But no mas.

 

[cory]

Btw, I've yet to see even one EAB in the wild, ftr.

What happens when the borer runs out of ash?

Good question