Sweetgum tree, also known as Liquidambar styraciflua, is a tree that is mainly planted for looks. The thin and long trunks, the bright orange leaves, and the tall height of this tree are the reasons why people fall head over heels for it. But it’s not safe from problems either and if not taken care of, any disease may reach a point you may have to consult tree removal services for felling the tree. So, here are all of the problems that can occur in a sweetgum tree.
Sweetgum Trees
Sweetgum trees are usually found in the southeastern regions of the United States and they’re very tall, beautiful, and durable trees.
Sweetgum trees grow extremely tall, about 75 feet in height, reaching even more in forest environments and they have a growth rate of about 2 to 3 feet per year. They can grow amazingly in moderate to bright sunlight, but you do need to take care of not over-watering them. They have a moderate drought-withstanding capacity, so you want to ensure that you’re keeping the tree hydrated, but not overdo it.
Sweetgum Tree Diseases
Here are some of the most common problems that occur in a sweetgum tree.
Bleeding Necrosis
First up is a common fungal problem that occurs in sweetgum trees and that is called bleeding necrosis. It is caused by an organism called Botryosphaeria berengeriana and it makes the trunk of the tree or small parts of it look almost blackened and wet. It will be as if there is some sort of oily substance lingering on the tree.
Since it is a fungus, the trunk of the tree may also get moldy from the inside and the smell will be musty and sweet. If the fungus is external, then that isn’t as big of a worry. But, if the fungus persists for longer, then your tree will be in trouble since the fungus can penetrate inside the tree and cut off nutrient supply in no time.
There is also no definitive cause of sweetgum necrosis, other than the tree being over-watered or being in a humid and wet environment. There is also no cure for the disease other than pruning the damaged parts of the tree and removing infected trees altogether to prevent infestation in other healthier trees.
Damage By Eastern Tent Caterpillars
Even though sweetgum trees are not targeted by insects very often, that doesn’t mean that they’re immune to all of the critters. Eastern tent caterpillars are some of the critters that can cause a lot of damage to the trees.
They can mostly be found on trees in little silken tents. That’s how the larvae protect themselves when they’re young. They also eat away the tree and you can see the damage in the form of the tree having holes and spaces in the trunk. Ways to remove these critters include introducing predators like birds and spraying the trees down with insecticides to kill any eggs.
Twig Pruners
Twig pruners are small insects that are born in the springtime and latch themselves onto the bark of the tree. Twig pruners look like small beetles but they’re just as dangerous. While the larvae are born in the springtime, the feasting time, or damage to the trees, occurs during the fall and winter, when the larvae come out as adults and feast on the sweetgum tree.
Now, the main question is: Where do these beetles come from? Well, the reason might be over-watering the trees or it can also be due to fertilizing the tree too much. These are the main things that can cause these beetles to come to life and attack the tree.
The only thing you can do to prevent this infestation in the future is to spray the tree with appropriate insecticides.
Sweetgum Litter
Also known as sweetgum balls, this is the falling of hard, rocky, and spiky fruits from the sweetgum tree. A sweetgum ball contains about 80 to 100 seeds and while it doesn’t pose any type of threat to the health of the tree in general, it can still make the surroundings of the tree look messy and you don’t want that.
A sweetgum tree or any tree for that matter produces a lot of litter. It can be anything from fruits, falling leaves, branches, pines, etc., but the sweetgum balls can be troublesome. Mainly because if you don’t take care of walking around the tree, then you need to keep your feet safe in case a dried-up gumball decides to poke you in the foot.
Again, it won’t hurt a lot, but it can still be very uncomfortable, so you want to ensure that you’re cleaning up the tree properly. Cluster and litter around the tree also make it hard for it to grow, so this is why regular sweeping around the tree is crucial.
Sweetgum Canker
Cankers are caused when a part of the tree swells up, grows sore, and also bleeds. This is an indication of sap dying in that part of the tree and it is very dangerous. It can lead to loss of nutrient supply in the tree.
Cankers can either be fungal or bacterial, but they are still dangerous nonetheless. If they go unnoticed, then the tree will eventually die. This is why you want to prune away parts of the tree with cankers, otherwise, there’ll be a long road of problems. Call in emergency tree services Chevy Chase for tree trimming or removal.
Limb Drop
Also known as sudden limb drop, it is just like what it sounds. This is very different from normal tree branches falling off. This is the random peeling away of the topmost crusty layer of the tree branch. This is not good at all, because the top layer is the protective layer against all kinds of things. From woodpeckers to insects and even weather damage, the branch helps to protect the inside of the tree trunk.
This is why limb drop becomes very frustrating because it can happen at the most random of times. It can occur during the summer when the tree is seemingly healthy. Because of this, it is also hard to pinpoint exactly why it happens, which is even more confusing.
The only thing you can do to protect the tree and prevent trunk damage is to go for extra mulch coverage because that will protect the exposed parts of the tree. In worse cases, you might even have to remove the tree, if its health declines further.
Anthracnose
Anthracnose is a disease that mostly attacks the leaves of sweetgum trees. It is also known as leaf spots and – you guessed it – it is identified by spots on the leaves. It is also a fungal disease that causes the leaves to turn black and brown.
To prevent this disease, you want to keep a fair distance between the trees to promote air circulation and you also want to regularly spray fungicide on the trees, to kill any spores that might lead to anthracnose and defoliation of the trees.
Conclusion
Sweetgum trees need to be protected from various pests, insects, and external factors because they can strip down the beauty and health of these trees just as quickly. Hire arborist services Bethesda for tree inspection and tree removal.
