Armillaria Root Rot Identification and Treatment

Prevent your trees and shrubs from dying and spreading root rot throughout your landscape. Knowing how to isolate and safely manage Armillaria root rot will help you keep your yard’s plant life thriving.

fasttreeremovalatlanta.com gathered information on what Armillaria root rot is, symptoms that help you identify it, how it survives and spreads, and what you can do to treat and prevent it.

What Is Armillaria Root Rot?

Armillaria root rot or mushroom root rot is a genus of fungi, Armillaria spp., that naturally decay tree stumps, dead wood, and roots. But Armillaria can also successfully attack living trees. While growing on dead wood, Armillaria produces rhizomorphs (root-like structures) that can grow 50 to 70 feet away from the original infection site. Larger infection sites support more significant, more extensive rhizomorph growth. Where rhizomorphs contact a potential host’s root system, they can infect those roots, causing growth problems and eventually girdling the tree.

Large trees may be able to compartmentalize the fungus in infected roots and survive for years. However, the host will grow progressively weaker as roots are killed, eventually becoming susceptible to windthrow. Smaller trees and plant life can be debilitated and killed more quickly.

Note: This fungus is found worldwide but prefers cool soils and climates.

Common Armillaria Root Rot – Hosts (Trees, Shrubs, Plants)

Armillaria infects a wide range of trees from oaks and hickories, to many hardwoods and conifers, like:

• Douglas-fir
• Lodgepole pines
• Ponderosa pines
• Spruce
• Grand fir pines
• Cedar
• Fruit trees
• Vines
• Shrubs
• Shade trees

Note: The only two genera of trees known to have developed a resistance to Armillaria root rot are larch and birch.

Armillaria Root Rot – Signs and Symptoms

While the majority of Armillaria root rot damage occurs below ground, the following visible signs indicate an Armillaria root rot infection:

• The tree may produce stress crops (abnormally large production of fruits, cones, or seeds)
• Foliage emerges small and/or chlorotic (yellowing) on deciduous trees
• Needles turn brown on infected evergreens
• Dieback in upper portions of the crown
• Large clusters of light-colored mushrooms growing at the base of the tree or on the root flare
• Thick, black fungal strands may grow on infected trees and in surrounding soil (like a net)
• Flat, white fungal growth appears in sheets between the bark and the wood at the base of infected trees and shrubs
• Trees will have decayed roots and a lower trunk (leaving the tree susceptible to windthrow or windsnap)
• The tree or plant will eventually die

Note: The base of infected pine and evergreen species (just below the soil surface) may be found encrusted in sap/resin.

How It Spreads and Thrives

Armillaria-causing fungi can survive for many years in wood debris, including stumps or root systems. New infections occur when healthy roots grow close to diseased roots. Rhizomorphs (black shoestring-like strands of fungal growth) can spread dozens of feet from an infected tree or stump to infect healthy roots.

Once the fungus colonizes the roots and the base of the trunk, the wood begins to decay. A healthy, robust tree can often slow the growth of the fungus. Still, stressed trees are usually damaged and debilitated quickly.

Trees die of Armillaria root rot when:

Girdling – roots can no longer move water and nutrients through the tree’s cambium
Windthrow – roots can no longer secure the tree to the ground in even the slightest breeze
Windsnap – the tree trunk is weakened and snaps in the wind

Note: Tyloses may also result in girdling. Occurring naturally, tyloses are formed in a tree or plant’s vascular system. They are are meant to plug or clog the vascular tissue in an attempt to prevent a disease’s advancement or from causing further damage to the tree.

Armillaria Root Rot Treatment

The first and most effective line of defense for your trees, shrubs, and plants is their health. The more optimal their conditions are for healthy growth, the better their chances are of remaining disease-free. Accomplish this by:

• Mulching the soil around the tree’s base out to the edge of the drip line
• Increase the tree’s watering schedule during drought (without leaving your plants and trees in standing water or poorly drained soil)
• Protect trees and shrubs from mechanical wounds (lawnmowers, weed whackers, and other equipment)
• Prevent pedestrian and vehicle traffic from the tree’s root plate to avoid soil compaction
• Remove unstable trees
• Remove infected stumps and as many roots as possible

Tip: Have your trees assessed annually by a certified arborist to determine if they are infected with Armillaria fungi and determine their structural stability.

Note: The more troubling aspect of Armillaria root rot is that, as of the publishing of this article, there is no definitive treatment or cure for the disease.

Watch this video about Armillaria fungi.

For further reading on this and other tree diseases, visit fasttreeremovalatlanta.com/9-oak-tree-diseases-identification-and-treatment

Handling Armillaria Root Rot

In this article, you discovered Armillaria root rot information, how to identify an active infection, how the pathogen survives and spreads, and what you can do to manage it and prevent it.

Keeping your landscape free of infected trees, shrubs, and plants will help you slow the progression of this prolific, robust fungal pathogen.

Allowing diseased/infected trees and plant life to persist on your property will accelerate the spread of Armillaria, exacerbating the sometimes invisible damage occurring beneath the soil and bark.

Sources:
gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/pests-and-diseases/diseases/armillaria-root-rot.html
missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/pests-and-problems/diseases/rot/armillaria-root-rot.aspx
plantpath.cornell.edu/Trees/Armillaria.html
fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5187208.pdf

Fast Tree Removal Services Atlanta

3379 Peachtree Road #555a, Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 220-9965

Fast Tree Removal Services Dunwoody

2111 Peachford Cir, Dunwoody, GA 30338
(404) 220-9963

To view the orignal version of this post, visit: https://www.fasttreeremovalatlanta.com/armillaria-root-rot-identification-treatment

Why Are My Trees Dying?

Your dead or dying trees could become severe hazards capable of causing catastrophic damage to your property. Knowing why your trees are getting sick and dying will help you take action to either save them or remove them.

fasttreeremovalatlanta.com gathered the following information to help you uncover the many reasons your trees may appear to be dying or already dead and what to do with them.

What Is Making My Trees Sick?

Your trees may be under stress or dying from a variety of conditions. For some of the following, the situation can be reversed, for others, tree removal may be necessary for the protection of the surrounding trees and landscape:

Drought – Trees are capable of resisting disease-causing organisms and insect infestations when they are sufficiently hydrated. During times of drought, trees, shrubs, and plants use up water stored in the soil.

If this water is not replenished, trees will begin to display the following signs:

• Wilting
• Unseasonal leaf drop
• Insect infestation
• Fungal growth

It is essential to note that the above signs of illness or infestation typically appear after years of stress being applied to a tree’s health.

Unseasonable Heat – With global average temperatures on the rise and in many regions, longer summer seasons, heat may cause trees to lose the ability to evaporate enough water to cool their leaves.

When trees cannot meet their cooling needs, the result is leaf damage and additional stress to the tree’s health. This condition often causes early leaf drop in deciduous species and mortality in conifers.

Note: In small doses over long periods, trees are extremely capable of adapting to evolving conditions. However, at the rate temperatures are on the rise globally, trees are unable to keep up. Those trees found on the cusp of their hardiness zone are usually the first to develop symptoms of “overheating”.

Boring Insects – These insects have mastered their attack on trees to the point that by the time you recognize signs of infestation, the insects have likely moved on to a new host. Boring insects like beetles tend to successfully attack trees already stressed by heat, drought, and other factors. Signs of a boring insect infestation include:

• Entry/Exit holes in the trunk, branches, or stems
• Foliage wilting or loss on specific branches or stems
• Branch or stem death on an otherwise healthy-looking tree
• Visual identification of the insect

Due to the destructive nature of boring insects, an arborist must be hired to inspect the tree, perform a hazard assessment, and evaluate the risk to the surrounding environment.

Read more about beetle damage and treatment at fasttreeremovalatlanta.com/ambrosia-beetle-damage-treatment

Disease – When trees are infected by a disease, they can take years to show symptoms, and by then, it may be too late to save the tree. This depends on the health of the tree when it was successfully attacked, the tree’s capacity to compartmentalize diseased tissue, and how the tree was infected.

Pathogens that attack trees through their roots are fast-acting and can cause hydraulic failure and death in a fraction of the time others may take.

Diseases that frequently attack trees include:

• Anthracnose
• Armillaria root rot
• Dothistroma needle blight
• Oak wilt
• Phytophthora diseases
• Blight diseases
• Cytospora (Cankers)

Some pathogens like the ambrosia fungi are carried from tree to tree by boring insects. If successfully attacked, the tree now hosts a boring insect infestation and the disease it brought with it. Coupled with an already weakened state, such trees are likely to show symptoms, decline, and die fairly quickly.

Note: Tree roots weakened/stunted by drought or root rot (poorly drained soil) are most susceptible to successful pathogen attacks, such as Armillaria root rot.

Poor Tree Care – In some instances, a tree’s health can be weakened by the actions meant to boost its health. Consider the following:

• Poor pruning practices
• Using unsterilized equipment
• Over-fertilizing
• Water-logging the soil
• Herbicide application (to kill weeds) too close to the root plate or on the tree
• Volcano mulching

Read more about tree pruning, cutting, and removal at fasttreeremovalatlanta.com/when-tree-pruning-cutting-emergency-removal-atlanta-ga

When a tree suddenly dies, it is likely due to multiple factors (drought, infestation, disease, unseasonable heat, etc.) causing hydraulic failure within the tree. Visit fasttreeremovalatlanta.com/how-do-i-know-if-my-tree-dying to discover what other signs to watch for when a tree’s health is declining.

Trees Eventually Die

For as much as we love and care for our trees, they are not immortal. It is normal for trees to grow old and die. Many fruit trees have a lifespan limited to decades, while some species may persist for hundreds or thousands of years. You can give your tree its best shot at a long life by:

• Planting an appropriate species for the region
• Planting it well within its hardiness zone
• Planting it in the right location*
• Providing the correct balance of nutrients
• Providing sufficient water (especially in times of drought)
• Using proper organic mulching techniques
• Using proper pruning methods with sterilized equipment

* The importance of planting a tree in the proper location cannot be overstated. The roots need space to grow and develop unobstructed. The tree’s canopy should be free from obstruction (especially from any power lines above).

If and when the time comes to have your tree removed, call a professional tree service to have it safely brought down, especially if it is infested or diseased. This will help you save any neighboring trees, shrubs, and plants from being infected or infested by whatever killed your tree.

My Trees Are Dying

In this article, you discovered several reasons that can lead to the death of your tree(s), and what to do with them.

By recognizing the signs of disease and infestation, and taking action, you can potentially save your tree. At the very least, you can make informed decisions on what needs to be done.

When you ignore the signs of an ailing tree, you place your property, vehicles, and even your well-being at grave risk if the tree topples.

Sources:
tcia.org/TCIA/Blog_Items/2014/What_To_Do_When_Your_Tree_Is_Dying.aspx
newhanover.ces.ncsu.edu/2019/06/why-are-my-trees-dying/
science.sciencemag.org/content/suppl/2013/11/13/342.6160.1235773.DC1
fs.fed.us/foresthealth/protecting-forest/native-insects-diseases/
extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/cytospora-canker-spruce
extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/SP686.pdf

Fast Tree Removal Services Atlanta

3379 Peachtree Road #555a, Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 220-9965

Fast Tree Removal Services Dunwoody

2111 Peachford Cir, Dunwoody, GA 30338
(404) 220-9963

To view the orignal version of this post, visit: http://www.fasttreeremovalatlanta.com/why-are-my-trees-dying

Best Time for Pruning, Cutting and Emergency Tree Removal

The act of pruning a tree is to remove specific stems or branches for the benefit of the whole tree. Pruning could also be used to thin the tree canopy, opening the tree to more sunlight and air; ensuring it stays healthy and free of disease. Cutting usually applies to larger branches, and is used to remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches to minimize damage from insects and other organisms. At Fast Tree we perform all of these Atlanta tree services, see our experts in action, then read below to discover the benefits of pruning, cutting, and an emergency tree service.

Best Time to Prune and Do Tree Trimming

Small branches can be pruned whenever they need to be, at any time of the year. Large branches – branches comprising over 5-10% of the crown of the tree – should only be pruned in winter when the plant is dormant, or in the middle of summer after flowering in plants that are susceptible to damage from winter frost. Plants should never be pruned in autumn due to the fact that the air is filled with diseases and decay fungi.

Summer is the best time to prune plants that bleed a lot from cuts, or recover from them slowly – such as maples and magnolias. They can also be pruned after the dormancy period starts. For woody plants where flowering occurs early in the season (apples), pruning should be done as soon as flowering occurs. Waiting too long to prune will damage the flowers of the next season. Azaleas, lilacs, and forsythia are other prime examples of this category.

Cutting Branches or Limbs

There are a number of reasons to cut tree limbs; they may be diseased or dead; they could be crossing or rubbing against other limbs; or perhaps they are competing too much with other branches and have to be cut away.

Raising or opening the canopy is another reason for limbs to be removed. This is done to open the canopy to more sunlight or provide additional vertical clearance. Winter is the best time to remove the limbs and branches of trees. Diseases are inactive during the winter and aren’t likely to damage the trees. Cutting a tree open during the summer, however, is just inviting diseases and pests into the tree.



Keep in mind that there are some trees that will “bleed” heavily when they are cut, which is sap seeping out of the wound. While it could look unsightly at best, and serious at the worst, there’s no harm. Trees that are prone to this kind of heavy bleeding are birch, beech, maple, yellowwood and elm.

You might think that it would be a good idea to dress these fresh wounds using wound dressings or tree paints, which are made and marketed for just such an occasion. In my experience, these are rarely necessary. If anything, they actually slow down the natural healing process of the tree. Trees are incredibly adaptable; they respond well to adverse conditions, so we advise a clean cut and allowing the tree recover by itself.

Atlanta Emergency Tree Removal Services

It can be tough to decide the right time to remove a tree that develops problems. If a dying tree isn’t likely to harm the people or the structures around it, then it could be left to die where it is. There are also some animals, such as woodpeckers, thrive in old dead trees and use them as nests and feeding grounds.

If you don’t mind the cost and you want to keep the tree, then it’s possible to extend its life by continuing to remove the diseased and dead portions and giving it plenty of water to its roots. This can become expensive or a concern to your neighbours. If it appears the tree could fall and damage their property, they will probably insist and urge you have it removed. Upon visible signs or an arborist determining the tree is doomed and a hazard, hire an emergency tree removal service www.fasttreeremovalatlanta.com/emergency-tree-removal-atlanta to ensure it’s safely removed and your property does not get damaged.

If you’re in Atlanta, our emergency tree removal team is located in the heart of the city and offers 24 hour emergency services.

Tree Pruning, Cutting and Removal

Pruning the limbs from a tree can make the landscape around it look much healthier and better, as long as you do it properly. Pruning at the wrong time, or taking shortcuts, is just asking for future complications. A diseased or damaged tree will require cutting, but may be preserved if it is addressed early. However, when a ravishing disease or storm damage happens, emergency tree removal becomes the only option to avoid damage to your person or property.

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Fast Tree Removal Services Atlanta

3379 Peachtree Road #555a, Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 220-9965

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