Do you think your trees might have Botryosphaeria Canker? Learn everything about Botryosphaeria Canker in Southern Maryland in this guide.
If you’re like most homeowners, you spend time in your yard taking care of your landscaping. You trim your bushes and mow your lawn.
So, it can be concerning when you see a problem with your shrubs. Maybe you’re noticing branches of a shrub turning brown and dying off.
It’s likely your shrubs have what’s called the Botryosphaeria Canker of Southern Maryland. This can attack your shrubs and other landscape plants like the rhododendron.
Read on to learn more about the Botryosphaeria Canker and how tree care services can help eliminate it from your bushes and shrubs.
What Is a Botryosphaeria Canker?
The Botryosphaeria Canker is a fungal disease that can attack the branches of woody plants and shrubs.
Botryosphaeria Canker is serious and you should act quickly if you notice symptoms. However, the good news is that it’s only likely to attack a plant or shrub that’s already feeling some distress.
This fungus is particularly common in the : Rocky Mountain juniper and rhododendron plant, both common plants in southern Maryland home landscapes.
Where Will the Threat Hit?
A shrub is most at risk if it’s already in distress. So, the key is to keep your landscape shrubs in good health. One key to doing this is planting the right kind of shrub for the conditions.
You don’t want to plant a shrub in an area with lots of shade if the shrub needs sun. Shrubs with limited direct sun are more likely susceptible to this fungus.
The fungus will attack the leaves or green parts of the plant first and you’ll notice them wilting and dying off. Then the branches of the area will be impacted with the cankers.
What Are the Symptoms of the Botryosphaeria Canker?
The good news about this fungal disease is that it can be pretty easy to spot in your junipers and other shrubs.
Symptoms include:
The woody part of a branch turn dark brown and black
Bark falls off from the cankers of the branch
Cankers for dark brown, sunken, rough wounds on the bark
Impacted branches wilt and leaves fall off
Cankers enlarge and move around the circumference of the branch
Remember, the fungus is more likely to attack shrubs that are already unhealthy or weakened. Providing good tree care for your landscaping helps to prevent the fungus from attacking to begin with.
How to Treat Botryosphaeria Canker
To treat Botryosphaeria Canker you must remove the branches being attacked.
You want to take clean pruners and cut back the impacted branches to the healthy area of the bush. You shouldn’t cut flush with the healthy branch of a tree as it might weaken the shrub.
When pruning though, attempt to prune several inches into the healthy area of a branch.
Be sure to sanitize pruners after use to avoid spreading the fungus to other shrubs.
A fungal treatment is not effective for treating the Botryosphaeria Canker, so pruning is absolutely necessary for removal.
Preventing Botryosphaeria Canker in Southern Maryland
The Botryosphaeria Canker of Southern Maryland should be addressed immediately by an arbor care tree service if you notice your shrubs have canker symptoms.
As an arborist in Southern Maryland, we can help you with tree and shrub care. Contact us today so we can evaluate the needs of your trees and shrubs.