TREE & LAWN CARE BLOG
Oak Leaf Miners - Identify & Control
What’s wrong with my oak tree leaves?
Over the past few dry, hot months we have received numerous phone calls about discolorations on Oak tree leaves. Upon further inspection by our certified arborists, oak leaf miners are to blame.
What is a leaf miner?
A leaf miner is an insect, about a quarter inch long, that lives in and eats the tissue of plants. They often leave behind a squiggly trail or big, discolored blotches. A certified arborist can determine the exact tree pest with a tree care inspection.
Can leaf miners damage my trees?
Fortunately, most leaf miner damage is purely cosmetic and is seldom a concern of the overall health of your trees. Leaf drop and defoliation is common, but not threatening. All the leaves on your oak trees will come back next spring with new growth.
How can I get rid of leaf miners?
While there are certain pesticides our tree care experts can apply in large infestation cases, the best practice for getting rid of oak leaf miners is simply raking up and destroying the damaged and dead leaves from around the base of your trees. This can prevent the infestation from spreading to other trees in the area.
If you have any questions or concerns about your trees, click the link below to be connected with one of our ISA certified arborists today!
CONNECT ME TO AN ARBORIST!
Japanese Maple Diseases
Japanese maple trees are a highly favored variety among homeowners for many different reasons.
They are fairly easy to grow and maintain, if they are planted properly and on a sufficient watering schedule.
They come in many different varieties of heights and colors.
They can adapt to smaller spaces where other specimen might fall short.
Usually any issues that arise are due to maintenance, as they are pretty disease resistant.
However, no tree is completely disease free and are susceptible to certain types of pests. We’ve listed a few of the most common pests and diseases that typically attack Japanese Maple trees.
Verticillium Wilt
This is a soil born fungi that is usually brought on by environmental stressors such as drought, frost or wet soil. The most common symptom of verticillium wilt is branch die back. We recommend regular maintenance pruning of all trees, but especially if dead limbs are present. Other treatment options might be available to you by a local tree arborist.
Anthracnose
Anthracnose is another type of fungal disease that not only attacks Japanese Maple trees, but a large variety of other trees and shrubs as well. This is most commonly seen during rainy seasons or areas with high humidity. Symptoms of anthracnose on Japanese Maple trees are spots or scorch on the leaves. Performing regular tree trimming and removing all infected leaves are good practices to avoid and treat this disease.
Phytophthora Root Rot
Japanese maple trees have never adapted well to over watering. They are highly susceptible to root rot because they have a low tolerance to soil that does not drain well. Proper planting and maintaining a watering regimen specific to Japanese Maple tree is the best treatment.
Japanese Maple Scale
Scale insects such as the armored scale favor the Japanese Maple tree under stress. If your Japanese Maple tree is not getting enough water, has suffered an injury or is under any other type of environmental stress, this can be an open invitation to scale insects to attack. These insects are usually seen on the bark and sometimes can be manually removed with soapy water. We recommend consulting a local certified arborist if you notice any pests on your trees.
If you have noticed your Japanese Maple trees showing any symptoms of stress, we encourage you to click the link below to be connected to a certified arborist for a free tree assessment. Remember the best practice is prevention!