Tri color beech issues - Ask Extension
Hi, my tricolor beech is showing leaves eaten through leaving the vines and then falling off. What is this and how do I treat this to prevent spreadin...
Knowledgebase
Tri color beech issues #914017
Asked August 14, 2025, 1:08 PM EDT
Hi, my tricolor beech is showing leaves eaten through leaving the vines and then falling off. What is this and how do I treat this to prevent spreading.
Oakland County Michigan
Expert Response
May we have close up, in focus pictures of some of the damaged leaves? Thank you.
Laura S
Laura S
Hope this is a better view.
Thank you for the close up pictures. This shows feeding damage from an insect, most likely Japanese beetles. This year we have had many reports of high populations here in Michigan.
This is cosmetic damage. A healthy tree can withstand the loss of 30-60 % of the leaf canopy. Yours appears to be much less than that.
If rainfall subsides for more than 10-14 days and weather remains hot, give the tree a deep watering. Hopefully next year we will not see such high populations of Japanese beetles.
Here is a nice reference on beech- https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/fagus-sylvatica/
And one on tree cre during droughts- https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/landscape-trees-begin-to-show-signs-of-summer-stress
This is cosmetic damage. A healthy tree can withstand the loss of 30-60 % of the leaf canopy. Yours appears to be much less than that.
If rainfall subsides for more than 10-14 days and weather remains hot, give the tree a deep watering. Hopefully next year we will not see such high populations of Japanese beetles.
Here is a nice reference on beech- https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/fagus-sylvatica/
And one on tree cre during droughts- https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/landscape-trees-begin-to-show-signs-of-summer-stress
