The rowan or rowan is one of the robust garden residents. Only a few diseases affect the trees. However, you should treat these quickly so that the mountain ash does not die. How to recognize symptoms of illness and what you can do about it.
What diseases can affect rowan trees and how to treat them?
Row ash trees can be affected by diseases such as fire blight, tree fungus and gray mold. To prevent spread, affected shoots should be removed and burned or disposed of with household waste. Avoid chemical agents to avoid harming birds.
Diseases that can affect rowan trees
- Firebrand
- Tree mushrooms
- Gray mold rot
Firebrand
This disease affects a variety of deciduous trees. It is classified as dangerous and must therefore be reported.
You can recognize it because the flowers and young shoots turn brown or black. The leaf veins become noticeably dark. A sure distinguishing feature is that the affected parts of the tree do not fall off in winter, but remain on the tree.
There are no chemical remedies for fire blight yet. All that remains is to cut off all affected parts of the mountain ash and dispose of them safely.
Tree mushrooms
The most common fungi that attack mountain ash are tree fungus and sulfur porling. They form on the trunk of the mountain ash. There the mushrooms sometimes grow into impressive specimens.
A rowan tree infected by tree fungi is usually lost beyond repair. Once the fungus is visible, you must assume that the spores have already spread throughout the trunk. Nevertheless, you should definitely eliminate the fungus. Otherwise there is a risk that the spores will spread to other, he althy trees and infect them too.
As a preventive measure, carefully monitor your rowan trees and intervene immediately in the event of even the slightest fungal infestation.
Gray mold rot
If fresh rowan shoots change color, dry out and fall off, gray mold rot may be responsible.
Cut off all affected shoots directly on the trunk. This will prevent the disease from spreading further.
Gray mold rot only occurs when the rowan tree is in an unfavorable location, namely when the soil is too wet. Make sure that the rowan berries grow on permeable soil where no waterlogging can form.
Dispose of affected tree parts safely
Burn infected shoots and leaves as well as mushrooms or put them in the trash. Under no circumstances should they be disposed of in the compost.
Tips & Tricks
When treating rowan tree diseases, you should avoid using chemical agents if possible. In doing so, they harm the birds, for whom the fruits of the mountain ash are an important source of food.
