Flowering crab tree blight - Ask Extension
I have 3 nice sized Flowering Crab trees. All are at least 20-25 years old. Up until about 10 or 12 years ago they were fine. Then they all came down ...
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Flowering crab tree blight #877659
Asked July 17, 2024, 3:17 PM EDT
I have 3 nice sized Flowering Crab trees. All are at least 20-25 years old. Up until about 10 or 12 years ago they were fine. Then they all came down with Crab tree blight (or whatever it is called. The first few years of it, they were bare by the end of July or early August. Then I started spraying with a fungicide about 5 years ago. Since then they are better, but far from perfect. They still loose leaves by early July each year, just not as bad as they were before being treated. Here is my question -- Is there any "cure" for this, so that I won't have to spray each year. Or will this last forever? I would hate to have to cut them down, because they are very pretty till this time of year. Thank you
Macomb County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello,
Spraying the trees will likely be an annual process as there is no cure for the disease. Below is an article that describes the issue:
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2007/jul/062704.htm
One option would be to also plant a resistant variety, and allow it to grow before phasing out the more susceptible trees. Of course, that will take time and requires the space to plant the new tree.
If you have any follow up questions, please feel free to reach out.
Thank you,
-Julie
Spraying the trees will likely be an annual process as there is no cure for the disease. Below is an article that describes the issue:
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2007/jul/062704.htm
One option would be to also plant a resistant variety, and allow it to grow before phasing out the more susceptible trees. Of course, that will take time and requires the space to plant the new tree.
If you have any follow up questions, please feel free to reach out.
Thank you,
-Julie
Thank you
On Friday, July 19, 2024 at 09:14:28 AM EDT, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote: