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Foot Rot on a Citrus Tree. This is a fungus that can kill a healthy tree quickly if gone untreated. This is commonly found in mature citrus trees in low lying areas or in yards that receive too much water. Once this fungus takes over, you can expect to see small lesions forming on the trunk, and spreading up through the branches. If you notice bark beginning "peel" on any part of your citrus trees, it is time to act. Treatment of this fungus is successful in most instances when caught before damage becomes too great. Call today or Contact Us. 
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Citrus Trees in the Winter. The winter of 2009 was one of the worst on record here in Florida. Our Citrus crop took a real hard hit from the low temperatures that seemed to be never ending. Now is the time to have our Arborist take a look at your trees and go over all of the proper steps you should take to ensure a healthy crop of fruit next year. It's easier than you might think and all it takes is one phone call.
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 Oak Leaf Blister (Oak Leaf Curl) This is a fungal leaf disease caused by the fungus Taphrina caerulescens. During cool wet springs, almost every variety of Oak is susceptible. During mid-spring, microscopic spores are produced in leaf spots. These spores are carried by wind and splashing raindrops onto bud scales and twigs where they remain in a dormant stage until the following early spring. At this time, rain washes the spores onto young leaves where infection takes place. Depending on weather conditions, small circular spots begin to develop in 2 to 4 weeks. Spores produced on these spots will lodge in bud scales and again remain resting until the following spring. Cool wet weather is required for germination on young leaves, and if these conditions continue, severe infection can occur.
Though aesthetically unpleasing, this fungus does not pose enough of a problem to require a fungicide treatment. If a well established tree has a premature leaf drop in early to mid summer, it will usually flush back out before fall. If a tree defoliates in late summer or fall, it will have little to  
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Ganoderma applanatum- This is a bracket fungus that thrives on rotten or decaying wood. The conch that is visible is actually the fruiting flower of the fungus. This fungus is a bad sign when it appears on your trees because it indicates the presence of rotten and decaying wood. It is not a species specific fungus, this means that it can appear on a wide array of trees from small Palms (which are not even trees to begin with) all the way to the mightiest of Live Oaks. 
If you notice these conchs on the trees in your yard, it might be time to have a hazardous tree assessment performed by our Arborist. Contact Us so we can take a look at your tree to determine how severe the problem is, and help in the decision making process of "what happens next?"

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Spanish Moss in trees - This misnomer is not a moss, and it does not originate in Spain. It is actually a bromeliad (Bromeliaceae) and it hails from Argentina but thrives in the tropical climates. The most common hosts in the Southeastern region of the United States are Live Oaks and Bald Cypress, but it can settle in many other trees. This plant is an epiphyte which means, a plant that thrives on other plants. It receives all of the water and nutrients that it needs from the air.
Though it will not kill it's host, it will slow the growth by creating too much shade and causing the interior leaves to drop prematurely. It also increases wind resistance which can cause limbs to break and fall in a high wind situation. 
If Trees Could Talk provides a demossing service that will solve any problems you may have with Spanish Moss. Call us today, or Contact Us  and give us your information so we can get back to you promptly.
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Sooty Mold on Citrus Trees - This fungus grows on the sugary excrement of sap sucking insects such as white flies, aphids, mealy bugs and scales. The fungus will block out sunlight needed for photosynthesis which will cause the leaves to drop. This will stress the tree and reduce the amount of fruit produced by the tree. Though unsightly, the fungus does not make the fruit inedible. 
Contact Us today to schedule an appointment with our Arborist. He will be able to determine which pest is causing the problem, rid the tree of the pest and clean away the Sooty Mold to enable the tree to continue to grow and remain healthy.
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Fungal Leaf Spot on a Ligustrum - Caused by the fungus Cercospora sp. This is a common disease of Ligustrum species. There are two Cercospora species that cause this leaf spot disease. A related species Pseudocercospora causes similar spots.
These fungi survive in adverse conditions in leaves in the canopy and in fallen leaves. The spores they produce are wind born or carried in splashing water to infect new leaves. 
Have you noticed spots like these on your Ligustrum trees? We can fix this problem once and for all. Visit the Contact Us page and fill out the information, and our Arborist will contact you.
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Thanks for visiting our new website. We invite you to return frequently as we will be having discussions on all things "tree". We will discuss topics like common problems in trees, and how to solve them. We will discuss the importance of proper tree care for the long term health and stability of your trees. The negative effects of over-pruning which is all too common. We will go over the differences between a Certified Arborist and a "Tree Service", and why it is so important to hire a Certified Arborist. These topics and many more, plus feel free to post a question or comment and our Arborist will respond. 
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Again, thank you very much for visiting our site. Remember, we're doing our best to save the Earth, one tree at a time.
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