Cankers

Spruce tree with Cytospora canker causing entire lower branches to die back.

Description: Cankers are localized dead areas in stems and trunk wood. Most cankers are caused by fungi, which can create further invasion from other fungi, bacteria and insects.

Trees Affected: Spruce (Cytospora), maple (Utypela), Honeylocust (Nectria)

What to look for: Sunken areas along limbs or trunk wood, dieback of limbs, oozing around sunken area, wilting leaves.

Treatment Options: Prune trees at proper time to minimize the chance of spreading the disease. Prevent physical damage to trunk wood or branches. Keep trees as healthy as possible with proper watering, mulch, fertilization.