Beech and hornbeam are very robust deciduous trees. They rarely suffer from illness. An unfavorable location or bad weather conditions are usually responsible for this. What diseases occur in beech trees?
What diseases can affect beech and hornbeam trees?
Possible diseases in beech and hornbeam are fungal diseases such as leaf spot, powdery mildew and downy mildew. These are manifested by spotty, curled and falling leaves. Treatment options include pruning, milk spraying and fungicides.
Curled, dried and falling leaves
You first notice that a beech tree is suffering from a disease by looking at its leaves. If this
- Show stains
- roll up
- dry up prematurely
- fall off before autumn
In most cases it is a disease or a pest infestation. If no pests are visible on the leaves, buds or trunk, a fungus is probably the cause.
Fungal diseases on beech trees
If the beech tree gets spotty leaves, it may be leaf spot disease, which is caused by fungi.
If the leaves are covered with a whitish coating on the upper side, this is powdery mildew, while downy mildew causes gray coatings and spots on the upper and lower sides.
Hornbeams often suffer from powdery mildew, both types.
Treatment of fungal diseases on beech trees
If there is a light infestation, prune the beech and collect any leaves that have fallen off. All plant residues must be disposed of in the garbage can and must not be added to the compost.
Spraying several times with diluted fresh milk helps with mildew. Field horsetail decoction and nettle decoction can also be used for fungal diseases.
If the infestation is severe and can cause lasting damage, especially to young trees, you can use fungicides that are available commercially. However, they should be used as sparingly as possible, as the products damage beneficial insects such as bees and bumblebees.
Prevention through a favorable location
In a favorable location, the fungal infestation is usually not so severe. In addition, he althy beeches can cope with this quite well.
When planting, choose a good location that should be neither too dry nor too moist.
Water when it is very dry and make sure that there is no waterlogging when it rains.
Tip
The most common pest on beech trees is the beech mealybug, also known as the beech ornamental louse. It leaves a sticky coating on the leaves. The best control option is to establish beneficial insects such as ladybirds and lacewings.
