Bacterial Leaf Scorch Is A Bacterial Disease
Bacterial leaf scorch is a systemic disease caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. It affects a variety of oaks, including pin, but can also affect other trees like red maple, elm, and sycamore. The disease is transmitted from tree to tree by feeding leafhoppers and spittlebugs, as well as through root grafts and un-sanitized gardening equipment used to remove diseased branches.
What Are The Signs Of Bacterial Leaf Scorch?
The first signs of bacterial leaf scorch on your pin oaks is premature leaf browning in mid-summer and worsen as the season goes on. Browning begins on the leaf margins on older leaves before moving outward towards the branch tips. This browning is uniform.
Bacterial leaf scorch can be mistaken for oak wilt or Dutch elm disease, as well as drought and heat stress. To tell the difference:
- Bacterial leaf scorch repeats and worsens over time
- Bacterial leaf scorch doesn’t leave streaking in the sapwood
- Bacterial leaf scorch develops from the leaf edges and works towards the mid-vein
Managing Bacterial Leaf Scorch On Your Pin Oaks
There is no cure for bacterial leaf scorch and it is chronic, but it can be managed. Branches that have died from the disease should be removed and destroyed. Keeping your pin oak healthy will help it resist infection and survive longer if infected.
You ISA-certified arborist from Hansen’s Tree Service will inspect your pin oaks for health and recommended treatments, if needed. Estimates are hassle-free and designed to work around your schedule.