Before I Cut Down Aspens In My Yard - Ask Extension
Hello - I have several Aspen threes with the fungus/cancor they are apparently prone to getting. I am surprised that even the worst looking of the tr...
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Before I Cut Down Aspens In My Yard #867860
Asked May 10, 2024, 11:00 AM EDT
Hello - I have several Aspen threes with the fungus/cancor they are apparently prone to getting. I am surprised that even the worst looking of the trees is still getting shoots and new leaves suddenly I was planning to cut several of them down.
I wonder if there is way to request a representative from the extension service to visit a neighborhood and give advice on such matters. What might the fee for a consultation be? The aspen trees, much loved, are a concern in this neighborhood for many of us. Can we save them? Are they truly sick? What are we doing wrong? Should we cut them down? Are the individual trees spreading the cancor?
M. Carteret
El Paso County Colorado
Expert Response
Hello,
Thank you for your question about the Aspens on your property which have a fungus/canker, are they truly sick, can you save them or should you cut them down. Cankers are common on Aspen trees which are growing outside their normal range in an urban environment. Their lifespan in this type of environment can be 25 years or less. Aspens in a landscape can be stressed because of alkaline soil, higher temperatures, low organic matter, and low soil moisture compared to an Aspen's native habitat. If you cut them down you, could see many Aspen sprouts in your yard and also your neighbors. Aspens primarily clone themselves by root suckers produced from buds on shallow roots.
Whether you should cut them down would depend on the canker, how fast it is growing, the trees health and the safety of the environment. Some cankers are slow growing.
Yes the individual trees can spread the disease to nearby trees which are stressed and have wounds. Insects are also a vector.
El Paso County Extension does not offer home visits by Colorado Master Gardeners. If you would like an ISA Certified Arborist to come look at your trees you can visit the site, 'Trees are Good'. You can click on find an arborist, enter the country and zip code and a list will appear. You can also check the certification of an arborist you are considering.
https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist/findanarborist
I am sending some information about Aspen diseases.
https://csfs.colostate.edu/forest-management/common-forest-insects-diseases/common-insects-diseases-of-aspen/
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r10/forest-grasslandhealth/?cid=fsbdev2_038332
https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/research/pests-of-ornamental-aspen
Here is some general information about our Colorado native Aspen.
https://coloradoplants.jeffco.us/plant/details/786
Regards,
Thank you for your question about the Aspens on your property which have a fungus/canker, are they truly sick, can you save them or should you cut them down. Cankers are common on Aspen trees which are growing outside their normal range in an urban environment. Their lifespan in this type of environment can be 25 years or less. Aspens in a landscape can be stressed because of alkaline soil, higher temperatures, low organic matter, and low soil moisture compared to an Aspen's native habitat. If you cut them down you, could see many Aspen sprouts in your yard and also your neighbors. Aspens primarily clone themselves by root suckers produced from buds on shallow roots.
Whether you should cut them down would depend on the canker, how fast it is growing, the trees health and the safety of the environment. Some cankers are slow growing.
Yes the individual trees can spread the disease to nearby trees which are stressed and have wounds. Insects are also a vector.
El Paso County Extension does not offer home visits by Colorado Master Gardeners. If you would like an ISA Certified Arborist to come look at your trees you can visit the site, 'Trees are Good'. You can click on find an arborist, enter the country and zip code and a list will appear. You can also check the certification of an arborist you are considering.
https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist/findanarborist
I am sending some information about Aspen diseases.
https://csfs.colostate.edu/forest-management/common-forest-insects-diseases/common-insects-diseases-of-aspen/
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r10/forest-grasslandhealth/?cid=fsbdev2_038332
https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/research/pests-of-ornamental-aspen
Here is some general information about our Colorado native Aspen.
https://coloradoplants.jeffco.us/plant/details/786
Regards,
