Hi All - We planted a Shiro and a Santa Rosa about 5 years ago. One of them quickly developed a thickened black area on the main trunk. That tree died this Spring and we replaced it with a different variety. Now the older surviving tree has the black fungus on the main trunk.
Should we forget about trying to grow plums or is there something we can do to prevent this fungus from attacking our new tree? We never did get any plums that the japanese beetles didn't get to first.
We live in far NE Tennessee, elevation 1800 ft, zone 6.
Thanks,
Laurel
I'd like to add my plea for help - I'm in Phoenix, AZ and had the same thing happen. My 12-year old, beautiful plum tree is now firewood and I'd like help from anyone with a suggestion. I don't want to replace the tree if there is something in the ground that will infect any tree I put down. I tried to get the county Agriculture Agent to advise me, but I'm guessing they are overwhelmed due to budget cuts - I sent in scrapings for analysis after being told no one could come visit the tree itself, but I've had no response. The progression of whatever this is started with a mysterious hole in the ground right after one of our monster lightening storms - no burn marks in the grass so there may be no connection between the storm and the hole, but it appeared right after the storm. Within about a year, a black scale began to creep up the trunk of the tree, eventually winding around the trunk - it grew in thickness to approximately 3" x 3". The closest I'm able to describe it is that it looked like a big constrictor wrapped around the tree. Mold and mildew don't grow here, so I am at a complete loss. If anyone has any hard information, or idea, or old wives tale involving anything short of hanging crystals, I'd appreciate knowing.
Thanks,
Kerneen Wright
Phoenix, AZ
Kermeen,
I don't know anything about this disease. I don't get very many diseases, because I have a diverse organic yard with lots of micro web of life and with lots of compost, so nothing gets too crazy out of control. These things have worked for me or others with fungal diseases.
John S
PDX OR
Thanks again John ~ appreciate the info. I do my best down here at the Gates of Hell (it's 110 today) to keep my yard diverse, but with the limitations on viable plants/trees, what we are able to grow become vulnerable to any new introduction into the environment. I'll keep flailing away at the County Agents until I get one out here....I'm just very concerned about whatever it is creeping around my yard to get at my citrus. Thanks again, and again!
Kerneen
Kerneen,
…just a thought… You mentioned a hole developing, would the lightening storm have included a downpour? Perhaps washing out an underground gopher tunnel? Do you have gophers? They’ve the ‘side-kickout’ half-moons of dirt around a 3 inch hole. What I’ve recently discovered from vole damage is while we’re analyzing the parts we can see, like trunk, branches, twigs and leaves – something’s busy eating the part we can’t see!
If some ground borrowing animal had gnawed the roots from your tree it would likely cause a portion of dieback beginning at the trunk and moving upward. I’ve actually seen this in prune and plum trees. Unable to provide full nutrients, a portion of the trunk begins to die, then decays; often turning black, even growing ‘mushrooms.’ Depending on the severity of the damage, it doesn’t always kill the tree, but they’re never the same and definitely susceptible to further dieback, especially if the ground dweller’s continue working away at the roots.
As your tree’s dead, you might dig down to some roots and see what kind of shape they’re in… If the roots are more decayed than the trunk, and show any signs of chewing, or you hit tunnels, that could ‘be it.’ …just a thought.
Hello Viron ~
Nope, no gophers - there was a hole that appeared, but it was a sink hole of some sort. I actually thought it was a snake hole and dug it out immediately, but nothing. The lightening was during one of our summer monsoons, and the strike was so close - - within 10' - - that I thought when the whole thing started, that the lightening had actually struck the tree, or burned the trunk. It really looked like the trunk had a burn mark, but then it started to grow - - I'm just at a loss for an explanation. Thanks tho' - appreciate the help.
Kerneen
Hi Woodsmoke ~
My tree is unfortunately gone now - but I sprayed and treated the ground also - repeatedly. A local distributor of a national chemical company very kindly set me up with anti-fungals based on my description and some really fuzzy pictures I took to them, but nothing helped. The tree cracked in half top-to-bottom in the last good wind storm, and if I hadn't seen this thing grow up and around my beautiful tree, and know in my heart that's what killed - I would absolutely swear that the lightening had actually hit the tree itself and burned part of the trunk. It's just the most bizarre thing, and I really wish I could get the County Agent out here to look at it.
What does everybody think of my taking some scrapings to an arborist? I just don't want to replant and have the same thing happen all over again....
Thanks again,
Kerneen
Idyllwild
simplepress
jafar
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Viron
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