June 30, 2014 Thousand Cankers Disease This Past Week
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Number 9 ‐ June 30, 2014 Thousand Cankers Disease An explanation for the difference in This past week, specialists from the Uni‐ symptoms as well as the observed re‐ versity of Illinois attended a Thousand covery on some trees is not fully under‐ Cankers Disease (TCD) workshop in stood. Researchers working on TCD Knoxville, TN. The workshop provided hypothesized a number of factors may updated information on TCD as well as be involved. The disease appears be tours of “Ground Zero”, the first areas in more severe on trees grown on stressed the Eastern U.S. to have confirmed the sites and that some of the trees that are disease in black walnut. TCD symptoms recovering may have some resistance. are explained in detail in a previous is‐ Weather conditions may also have sue of this newsletter at played a role in their recovery. The re‐ http://hyg.ipm.illinois.edu/article.php?i searchers reported that the tree vigor d=245 may have been boosted by adequate to near ideal rainfall and growing condi‐ The destruction caused by TCD was evi‐ tions for the 2013 growing season. The dent by the numerous tree stumps in years leading up to the discovery had surrounding landscapes. However, the drought conditions and below average most surprising was that not all of the rainfall contributing to tree stress. black walnuts were killed by the disease. Many of the trees in high quality sites Black walnut is not native in infested ar‐ originally confirmed to have TCD looked eas of the Western U.S., but it is native to relatively healthy, and for the time be‐ most of the Eastern U.S. including Ten‐ ing, were showing signs of recovery. nessee and Illinois. In its native range, Branches were bushier than normal due the soils, climates, and other factors are to epicormic branching, but there was those where black walnut thrives. Cer‐ also excellent tip growth and foliage as tainly, these factors are not quite correct seen in the included photos. This recov‐ for black walnut in the Western U.S., ery is surprising because observations probably resulting in those trees always in the Western U.S. indicated the disease being under at least some stress. With to be lethal to the highly susceptible the correct conditions for black walnut black walnut. Those researching the found in the Eastern U.S., the trees may pathogen in the Eastern part of the be able to cope with TCD and survive. Ei‐ country also reported that symptoms ther way, TCD still poses a major threat observed on black walnuts were less se‐ to black walnuts. Significant additional vere than those grown in the western research will be needed, but we at least states. Cankers were often smaller and have a cautiously optimistic hope for fewer in number. black walnuts growing in the Eastern U.S. TCD is not known to occur in Illinois, but Unlike giant hogweed, the leaves of eld‐ it is important to remain vigilant and erberry are pinnately compound. An report suspicious trees to your local Illi‐ entire leaf is comprised of 5 to 11 oppo‐ nois Department of Illinois field person, sitely arranged leaflets. Another differ‐ your local Extension office, or us. It ap‐ ence is that giant hogweed does not pears that when TCD arrives in Illinois it produce berries. Elderberry has hang‐ will kill street trees and other stressed ing clusters of blue‐black, fleshy berries. trees growing in less than ideal sites. And finally, elderberry does not possess Black walnut is typically not planted in sap that can cause burning and blister‐ landscapes because of the nuts, and it ing on the skin making it safer to handle leafing out late in the spring and drop‐ than giant hogweed. ping leaves early in the fall. As a result, black walnuts are usually found around Many do not view this plant as being a houses built before the 1970’s and in weed. In fact, the fruit is edible once other sites where the original forest cooked and can be made into pies and trees were retained when the house was jams and wine. Be sure to properly built. (Travis Cleveland and Phil Nixon) identify the plant first! The berries are toxic when raw. For a short video and description of elderberry, click this link Lesser Known “Weeds”‐ Elderberry by the University of Florida Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants: On the heels of Kelly Estes’ article, “Gi‐ http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/397. ant Confusion: Giant Hogweed and Common Look‐Alikes” which can be For more information specific to Illinois, found in the June 2 issue, I present you check out: with one more look‐alike: Elderberry http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/tre (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis). es/plants/cm_elder.htm. This is one of a few lesser known species Michelle Wiesbrook that I am commonly asked to identify. Elderberry is quite common. It can be Modified Growing Degree Days (Base found in every Illinois’ county and is in 50°F, March 1 through June 26) bloom now in central Illinois. Although this is a commonly seen species (espe‐ Historical cially when in bloom), many are not fa‐ Station Actual Average One‐ Week Two‐Week Location Total (11 year) Projection Projection miliar with this native perennial shrub. Freeport 1191 939 1346 1500 It grows from 5 to 10 feet tall and has St. Charles 1008 886 1157 1306 DeKalb 1020 1001 1178 1332 fairly large (4 to 6 inch) flower clusters Monmouth 1164 1064 1323 1482 of small white flowers that form flat, Peoria 1210 1119 1379 1550 compound umbels. The large size and Champaign 1281 1156 1455 1630 Springfield 1428 1248 1610 1797 flower similarities between the two Brownstown 1391 1324 1577 1766 combined with an increase awareness of Belleville 1453 1338 1636 1825 Rend Lake 1549 1448 1741 1936 giant hogweed and its spread creates Carbondale 1520 1367 1698 1884 concern and confusion. Dixon Springs 1535 1439 1717 1905 Insect development is temperature de‐ If you see foliar symptoms that don’t in‐ pendent. We can use degree days to help clude wilting, you might be able to get predict insect emergence and activity. an adequate diagnosis by just sending Home, Yard, and Garden readers can use some leaf samples. However, in most the links below with the degree day ac‐ cases (especially if there are wilting cumulations above to determine what symptoms) including branch samples is insect pests could be active in their area. highly recommended. This simple step can save you time and money and allows GDD of Landscape Pests us the means we need to figure out what GDD of Conifer Pests is wrong with your tree most efficiently. Degree day accumulations calculated Sampling: When sampling branch tis‐ using the Illinois IPM Degree‐Day Calcu‐ sue, the best samples are 8‐10” long lator (a project by the University of Illi‐ from a symptomatic branch that is nois Department of Crop Sciences and around 1” in diameter (about the di‐ the Illinois Water Survey). (Kelly Estes) ameter of your thumb). We can rarely do successful culturing with the tissue that comes from twigs smaller than 1”. Sampling for Tree Diseases? You’re Also note that sending a branch that is Barking up the Right Tree! way more than 1” thick isn’t twice as good for culturing, it’s in reality twice as Proper sampling of woody tissue for hard for us to get a good culture. The fungal vascular disease diagnosis can branch sample should come from an ar‐ save you a lot of time (and money!) If ea of the tree that is still alive, but be‐ you have a tree with a problem that you ginning to show symptoms. Sampling want diagnosed by the University of Illi‐ from an area that is completely DEAD nois Plant Clinic, or another diagnostic rarely ever yields a successful diagnosis. clinic, there are the some things you should know before climbing up that Shipping: The procedure you use to ship ladder. your sample can make or break the chances we have of recovering whatever Observations: The first symptom you pathogen is causing disease in your tree. should check for on your tree is cankers. It is very important to ship tree branch Cankers are usually seen as sunken, samples with ice or an ice pack in insulat‐ dead areas on trunks, branches, or even ed packaging such as Styrofoam contain‐ twigs. Symptoms caused by cankers can ers since the summer heat compounded be both vascular and foliar, and cankers with delivery truck heat can kill patho‐ are fairly easy to spot. If you find a gens that are in the branch and leaf sam‐ canker on your tree, it would be ideal to ples. Another important thing to consider send a branch sample containing the is what weekday you send your sample. It canker to the Plant Clinic for diagnosis. is important to not send a sample at the If the canker is on the trunk, it might be end of the week since that increases the easier to submit portions of twigs and chances of the sample taking longer to get branches with leaves and include a pic‐ to us and sitting in hot delivery trucks for ture of the canker. extended periods of time. When sending samples of trees it really Conifer Sawflies helps us if we can see the big picture, literally. Sending pictures of the entire The most common sawfly that attacks tree and of the affected area helps show needled evergreens in Illinois is the Eu‐ us how the disease is affecting your tree.