With the elevated use of those three evergreen members of the Cupressaceae household in Central Texas, it’s inevitable that we now have begun seeing elevated incidences of this frequent canker illness. Though Italian Cypress appears to be the most typical species to be affected attributable to its prevalence within the panorama, this illness also can infect juniper and arborvitae.
Leyland Cypress is now displaying extra signs in Central Texas, most certainly as a result of it’s planted in soil that’s not as well-drained or as excessive in natural content material that the tree requires.
An important message that you could get from this text is DO NOT plant too a lot of ANY species in a hedgerow and ALWAYS know the perfect rising circumstances of a tree earlier than selecting it.
This fungal pathogen enters a tree by means of a wound within the bark. Pruning cuts, wind or ice breakage, insect feeding, mower or string trimmer harm, freeze harm or something that causes an open wound could enable the fungal spores to enter the tree. The illness overwinters in cankers on diseased bark. Fungal spores, recognized by small black dots showing on the cankers in spring, are unfold by splashing water from rain or irrigation, or by pruning instruments to different elements of the contaminated tree or to different timber. The fungal pathogen infects the internal bark, inflicting canker lesions that result in lifeless branches. Lesions are barely sunken areas of bark on twigs and branches that could be coloured darkish brown or purple.
Yellowing of foliage adopted by random lifeless branches referred to as “flags” all through the tree are attributable to the sunken, lifeless lesions on the stems and trunk which have an effect on cambial tissue. The central chief may be affected, inflicting the highest of the tree to die. Resinous exudates could leak out of the cracks on the close by contaminated tissue, inflicting resin flows on the bark. Related signs happen on Italian Cypress and Arizona Cypress.
Since there’s presently no remedy for this illness, correct cultural practices will assist forestall its prevalence. Bushes which can be careworn are extra prone to illness. Studying the perfect circumstances for the expansion of a species previous to planting will assist mitigate the prevalence of this illness.
Listed here are some tips to maintaining your Cypress timber wholesome:
*Leyland, Italian and Arizona Cypress MUST have good inside drainage and floor drainage. Carry out a drainage take a look at earlier than planting, plant excessive or on raised beds if vital, and keep away from low spots the place seasonal rain causes saturation. Concentrate on roof runoff and don’t enable it to have an effect on these timber.
*Plant these species within the correct soil kind. Clay soils are NOT acceptable for these timber.
*Do NOT enable mulch to the touch the trunk of those timber and do NOT plant the tree any deeper than it was within the nursery pot. Dig the opening the precise depth as the foundation ball, or plant an inch or so larger than the encompassing floor in case of settling.
*Full solar is really helpful for these species. These aren’t shade-tolerant timber.
*House the timber for his or her full measurement, with sufficient house for good air circulation between them.
* Don’t plant a “hedgerow” of those timber. If illness begins in a single tree, it WILL unfold to the others. Restrict numbers to three or 5, or use different species in groupings between to keep away from a steady line. This not solely limits losses, however treats the screening space as a “panorama”.
*Use drip irrigation and keep away from overspray from garden sprinklers. We can’t management the rain, however we CAN management sprinklers!
*Keep away from drought stress by listening to summer season warmth and wind and deep watering on the acceptable time. Sure, these timber are “drought tolerant”, however rare, deep watering can imply the distinction between “thriving” and “surviving! Water the bottom out a long way from the trunk, because the roots lengthen a minimum of as far out from the trunk as the peak of the tree.
*Don’t use “weed and feed” merchandise on the garden. As beforehand talked about, roots lengthen a minimum of as far out from the tree as the peak of the tree, and herbicide utilized to the garden across the tree will weaken the tree’s roots.
*Clear pruning instruments between cuts with a ten% bleach answer or 70% alcohol.
*Prune lifeless and dying branches and destroy clippings. Attempt to take away the world with the canker and 6″-12″ past. Take away total tree if closely contaminated to keep away from transmission to surrounding timber. Keep away from pruning earlier than, throughout or after rain.
And I reiterate, CHOOSE THE TREE FOR THE SPOT, NOT A SPOT FOR THE TREE! Do your analysis and know your circumstances. Bushes are an funding and reside organisms, and are finest handled as such.
