hoorse chestnut trees with red fungus infection

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by horse chestnut boy, May 30, 2015.

  1. horse chestnut boy

    horse chestnut boy New Member

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    Hi
    I'm new to this forum. Didn't realise it was Canada based, (I'm in UK). I have grown from seed several Horse Chestnut trees. they have grown to about 7 to 8 ft high, and I had to transplant them in October last year. They are well into producing leaves now but three or four of them are exhibiting signs of distress.

    Symptoms are:
    1) small leaves
    2) wispy reddish threads around leaf nodes - i.e. where they join the main stem.
    3) the bud covers in some cases have not properly opened and if they are pulled away there is a thick white cotton - wool like mat around the immature leaves which have all turned brown.

    I am completely clueless with plants but I love these trees and would like to save them. It seems like it may be a fungus. I will take pictures and try to post them on this thread in due course.

    Do I need to cull the infected trees?
    If not, what treatment is needed?
    Thanks for any help I might get!
     
    Last edited: May 30, 2015
  2. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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  3. horse chestnut boy

    horse chestnut boy New Member

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    Ah, that's good. Thanks Daniel. Since the first posting I have sprayed my trees with an antifungal agent. It doesn't seem to have made very much difference, in fact the agent itself seems to have darkened the leaves somewhat. I fear that the worst affected trees will die. Any help in identifying the disease, if it is one, would be much appreciated.
    The first and second pictures show typical appearance and location of the 'fungus'. It is mainly round the leaf nodes (?) the 4th and 5th pictures show how the leaves are affected. They are very small compared to those on healthy trees nearby. The middle picture needs to be looked at full size to make sense of it. I have gently removed the leaf bud casings from around the node and found the inside full of whiteish sheep wool like fuzz. I am assuming this is another phase of the fungal infection. The healthy trees do not exhibit any of the photographed symptoms.
    Steve
     

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    Last edited: Jun 9, 2015
  4. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Any herbicide use in the vicinity?
     
  5. horse chestnut boy

    horse chestnut boy New Member

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    Hi Ron,

    we are primarily into sheep around here (agriculturally, I mean), so herbicides are confined to the very occasional treatment of thistles, docks and sedges. Thistles were treated in a field about 1/4 mile away from the tree site around 2 months ago, probably far enough away to be discounted, especially as there are three hedges between sprayed area and site, which would have broken up any windblown overspray. If herbicides were the problem I would have expected all the plants and trees in the area to be affected in some way.

    A possible factor is that the ground into which the trees have been transplanted is very claggy clay soil with about a foot or so of top cover of a more loamy mix. The affected trees tend to be in the really wet stuff. However, everything else is growing fine - I have just planted a 45 yard hedge of hazel, viburnum, spindleberry and hawthorn, with a sprinkling of Rowan and all are doing well.

    Also, I had to chop the roots of all the trees to get them out of their original location. All of the root balls were chopped to some extent but over half of the transplants are symptom-free right now.

    If you've seen the pictures, I'd really like to identify the gingery-red filaments that appear in them. I've scoured the net (I'm not very expert) to find anything relevant but I have nothing specific. I wondered if it the early stages of infection by the bleeding disease which is causing such concern internationally?

    Thanks for your interest
    Steve
     
  6. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    The red is hairs typical of Aesculus hippocastanum.
     
  7. horse chestnut boy

    horse chestnut boy New Member

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    Hi Ron. Thanks for the identification. I'm going to look it up now, but the next thing I need to know is a) is it a disease? b) if so is it fungal, bacterial or viral? c) if so, what is the prognosis? d) if treatable, what medication will do the trick? e) is it infectious? e) should I cull the infected trees immediately?
    A long list of questions, but at least now I know the enemy!
    Thanks again
    Steve
     
  8. horse chestnut boy

    horse chestnut boy New Member

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    Hi Ron,
    Seems I got the wrong impression. I assume you mean that the red 'fungus' I am worried about is normal for horse chestnut trees.... Still in the dark here.
    Cheers
    Steve
     
  9. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Yes, the red is hairs that are a normal part of the tree at this stage.
     
  10. horse chestnut boy

    horse chestnut boy New Member

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    OK, well, that's a relief in a way. now I need to know what seems to be killing off my trees....
    Thanks Ron.
     

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