How to Remove Canker from Eucalyptus Trees
Eucalyptus trees make a stunning feature on your land, but this beautiful native Australian tree can be susceptible to several diseases, including canker. So, what is canker, and how can your local tree service help to solve the problem? Read on to find out more.
Canker
Canker is a common disease of eucalyptus trees that is caused by a type of fungus. Canker appears as discoloured or depressed areas on the tree's bark, before spreading to its interior. In infected areas, the tree will weep amber-coloured sap. As the disease takes holds, the affected tree's leaves will become yellow and begin to drop. In many cases, the tree will lose its branches too.
As the canker spreads, it affects the tree's trunk, leading to splitting. Canker ultimately circles the whole of the tree's trunk in a sort of strangling girdle, preventing the tree from sucking up nutrients from the soil, and eventually killing it.
Unfortunately, there's no cure for canker in eucalyptus trees, but there's much you and your local tree service company can do to prevent it from taking hold.
How to prevent and control canker
The first action to take is to remove any diseased branches from the tree at the first sign of canker setting in. The infected branches should be removed below the canker and burned. Make sure that you wash your pruning tools in a solution of bleach and water so that you don't spread the disease to other trees as you prune.
Canker and other tree diseases often enter the tree through 'wounds' to the branches, trunk and roots. Be very careful when carrying out routine tasks like lawn mowing and strimming. Set your mower blades high enough that they won't catch exposed tree roots, and mow so that twigs and other debris fly away from the trunk, rather than towards it. Ensure that the guard on your strimmer is always facing the tree trunk to protect it from the string.
In the case of eucalyptus trees that are severely affected by canker, the best course of action is to call your local tree service company for assistance and advice. They will be better-equipped and trained to remove larger branches and, if necessary, the whole tree.
If you think your eucalyptus tree is affected by canker, ask your local tree services company to carry out an inspection to confirm the diagnosis. Regular tree inspections by your local arborist should be scheduled as part of your household maintenance routine. This can help to highlight and treat developing problems before they become terminal for your trees.
For more information, contact companies like Colourful Tree Lopping.
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