Anyone with trees on their property should learn about the causes of tree discolorations. They often arise from a wound that has become infected and started decaying. While tree decay is a natural process, it can become a safety hazard for people, property, and other trees. So, protect your property by studying what causes tree wounds, how infections develop, and when infections turn to decay and discoloration. Moreover, hire a tree care service when you spot tree discoloration for a professional inspection and emergency tree removal services.
A comprehensive tree service provider, Timber Works offers 24/7 tree removal, trimming, land clearing, stump grinding, and more to residents of Haymarket, VA. Our licensed and insured professionals come equipped to handle all your arboreal needs. For tree care done right, contact Timber Works Tree Care at (540) 692-9606 today.
Here, we examine the causes of tree wounds, infection, and discoloration:
What Causes Tree Wounds?
We classify tree wounds as either stubs or scars. Stubs refer to the end nubs of broken tree limbs, including branches, tops, and even roots. They come from improper pruning, tree topping, storm damage, growth suppression, disease, and other causes. Unnatural stubs delay wound closure and allow decay to set in.
Scars, on the other hand, come from bark removal or dieback. Insects, birds, and large animals can create scars—especially at the bases of trees—by exposing the tree’s underlying wood to drying and cracking. Such wounds lead to an infestation, infection, and other forms of decay. While trees wounds can heal, doing so takes time and may fail to prevent decay.
Common Infections & Discoloration
- Sooty mold: Caused by saprophytic fungi, sooty mold is not a disease nor does it infect living plant tissue. Instead, it seeks dead limbs, leaves, and wounds. Despite its unsightly appearance—black, brown, or soot-like surfaces on branches or leaves—the sooty mold itself is harmless.
Nevertheless, its presence—along with signs of insect damage—could indicate harmful insect activity. A professional tree care service can determine whether your trees need insect management. - Botryodiplodia canker: A fungal infection common to elms, oak, and sycamore trees, this canker can be identified by reddish-brown or black, moist cankers on small branches. Moreover, leaves growing beyond the wound turn yellow, wilt, or drop off. Further symptoms include rough bark patches, sprouts, shoots, and other pimple-like fungal growths. Eventually, this disease leads to branch dieback and tree mortality
Nevertheless, these symptoms are quite similar to other hardwood canker diseases’ symptoms. Thus, hire a tree expert to identify the pathogen. - Wetwood: Also called slime flux, wetwood is a tree infection caused by several species of bacteria. It appears most often among elms and poplars as well as fir, maple, mulberry, oak, willow, hemlock, and other species. This disease’s most notable identifier is a brown-black, foul-smelling ooze coming from cracks, wounds, or branch junctions. The ooze leaves streaks of yellow-brown discoloration on the bark when dry.
Despite its symptoms’ unpleasantness, this condition often leaves trees unharmed. Still, you can prevent wetwood by protecting trees from damage through soil compaction, weed whackers, lawnmowers, and other stresses. The only solution for wetwood is tree removal.
Timber Works Tree Care: 24/7 Emergency Tree Removal Services in Haymarket, VA
Timber Works provides expert emergency tree removal and other tree care services to its customers in Haymarket, VA. Whether it is storm damage, a fallen tree, or another safety hazard, our 24/7 emergency response team can help. We understand the time sensitivity of these situations and make it our priority to deliver prompt services for your property. In the event of a tree emergency, contact Timber Works Tree Care at (540) 692-9606.
