Why Ash Trees are valuable (and why EAB is a problem):

• Minnesota has nearly one billion ash trees, according to the MN DNR.

• Ash trees were often planted to replace American elms lost to Dutch elm disease. 

• Ash, especially black ash, is an important species to our state's lumber industry.

• Emerald ash borer, a small insect, attacks all ash species: green, white, and black.

• Basically, it's a near-extinction event for ash trees in North America because they have no natural defenses against the insect.

• EAB population is currently peaking in the Twin Cities area with the vast majority of untreated ash trees declining rapidly or already dead.

• The only defense against this invasive and deadly insect is preventative treatment by a certified arborist.

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) History:

• Globally: EAB is from Northeastern Asia where it only attacks weak ash trees; healthy ash trees can fight off EAB.

• Nationally: It first appeared near Detroit in June 2002, though experts think it was actually here since the 1990s.

• Locally: Found in St. Paul near the U of MN campus in May 2009.

Spotting EAB Symptoms:

• Starts with the top of the tree looking thin.

• Within 2-3 years, the upper canopy is mostly dead, but you might see a flush of healthy-looking growth lower on the trunk.

• The bark in the upper parts can look splotchy, called "blonding."

• Emerging adults make the distinctive “D” shaped holes, often more visible on medium sized branches.

• Tree death usually follows quickly, about 3-4 years after the EAB attacks.

What is an Emerald Ash Borer?

• Adult insects are slender, ⅜ inch long, emerald green in color and rarely seen.

• Cream-colored larvae are found under the bark feeding on the inner bark and cambium. They are slender as well and ½ to 1½ inches long.

• Larval feeding causes “S” shaped galleries, preventing water and nutrient movement in the tree, which is what eventually kills the tree.

What Can You Do About Emerald Ash Borer: Treat or Remove Ash Trees

• Slow the spread: do not move firewood. In other words, do not take firewood to your cabin. The majority of northern Minnesota counties are under EAB quarantine because of this.

• Treat your ash trees. If you are not treating your ash trees, they will die from EAB. 

• Missing even one every-other-year scheduled treatment can lead to serious decline and possibly death of your ash tree.

• If you haven't started treating by now, it likely is too late to save your ash trees.

How Shadywood Can Help:

• We have been protecting ash trees since 2009. We are the experts!

• We offer all the latest EAB treatment options.

• Our arborists are full-time, year-round professionals who will check out your ash trees before recommending a treatment plan. 

• Removing EAB-affected ash trees is risky because their branches far more quickly than other recently-dead trees become weaker and more brittle. Our team has the training, experience, and equipment to remove these trees safely and efficiently.

• We offer full tree pruning, removal and stump grinding services. In addition, our plant health care division can care for your valuable trees, evaluating their health, creating customized health programs to keep these trees healthy and flourishing for as long as possible.

The Future of Ash Trees:

• EAB is seriously changing the look of our streets, parks, and wooded areas.

• In just a few years, ash trees will be a rare sight in Minnesota's towns and forests.

• In Northern and central Minnesota, a valuable lumber resource will be lost.

• Research and testing is being done to find ash trees that are naturally resistant

There are many pests and pathogens that affect our landscape evergreens. Today, I will be discussing one of the more common spruce diseases that we see here in Minnesota. Rhizosphaera Needle Cast is a fungal disease that can cause the needles of the spruce to turn brown and fall off and if branches are infected for 3-4 years dieback can occur. This disease primarily affects Colorado Blue Spruce and Black Hills spruce. With these being popular varieties we see planted here in Minnesota it is helpful to know what we can do to mitigate the spread and impact of Rhizosphaera on our spruce.

How do you know if your tree is potentially infected? 

Source: MN Department of Natural Resources

Some common ways to identify if your spruce has Rhizosphaera Needle Cast are if in spring to early summer the older needles are turning brown/purple while the new needles are still green and if using a magnifying glass, you see little black dots arranged in neat rows on infected needles. The discolored needles tend to fall off in the late summer early fall leaving the tree to look thin and see through.

Now that we know some of the signs and symptoms, how do we manage Rhizosphaera Needle Cast? 

One of the best ways to help mitigate the disease is to maintain good air circulation around the trees. If the fungi does not have a suitable environment to grow in it will struggle to infect the plant. Typically this can be done by removing the lowest branches up to about 2-3’ to improve air circulation through the canopy. Another way to manage Rhizosphaera is with the use of Fungicides. Treatment by a licensed professional can be applied in the spring/early summer to the new needles once they have grown to about half their mature length followed by a second treatment in about 3 to 4 weeks . This treatment will help protect new needles from being infected and can improve plant health overtime. 

If you suspect your tree may be suffering from Rhizosphaera Needle Cast or any other potential plant problem, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.

Jim Perryman, ISA ARBORIST #MN-4588A

Looking to get a bid to have tree work done? It should be easy enough to contact the first ones that come up on your Google search, right? Well, truth be told, there is more to it. 

There are a lot of companies offering tree services in Minnesota. Large and small. Some with clever names, cool logos, and some with promises of the cheapest price. Some are startups, some have been in business for decades. With so many options for choosing a tree care company, how do you choose a company that will safely and efficiently perform the tree care services that you need? Look for professionalism.

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines Professionalism as “the combinations of all the qualities that are connected to trained and skilled people.” Why is this important? Simple. Tree Care is one of the most dangerous occupations there is, consistently ranking in the top 5 in fatalities and injuries in the US annually. Most of these accidents happen to companies and tree care workers that are less skilled and inexperienced. Using a professional tree care company comes with the peace of mind that the work will be done properly, efficiently, and safely.

Professionalism starts with the first interaction the customer has with a company. Prompt and courteous initial contact, either through a phone call or an email exchange. Professionalism continues with the Consulting Arborist’s site evaluation through their interaction with the customer and thorough the proposal processes. Professionalism culminates with the actual tree care crew and the services they provide. 

What to look for in a Minnesota professional Tree Care Company

Accreditation

The two most common are the International Society of Arborist (ISA) Certified Arborists and the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA). These accreditation’s and certifications indicate that the staff has extensive experience and passed rigorous exams on tree care knowledge and practices. 

Insurance

Ask for a copy of their Certificate of Liability Insurance. This is critical if something unexpected happens on the job site. Not all tree care companies have CLI because tree care liability insurance is very expensive.

References

Ask for references or look for online reviews. References are an excellent way to find out your neighbors' experience with the company.

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

When the crew shows up, are they wearing Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)? This includes: helmet, eye protection, chainsaw pants/chaps for cutting crew members, etc.

These are some suggestions in helping you choose the right tree care company. If you are only interested in the lowest bid, you could be increasing the chance of getting substandard service. Remember, having a chainsaw and a pickup truck does not automatically make you a professional arborist.

At Shadywood Tree Experts, we work on our professionalism every single day. With daily training, weekly safety meetings, and numerous educational seminars, our staff of ISA Certified Arborists, Certified Tree Workers, and apprentices strive to maintain and improve our professionalism. This benefits our staff, customers, and the trees and plants we care for.

Chuck Madsen, ISA ARborist #MN-0129A

Have you ever wondered why your tree may have a long vertical scar going up the entire side of the trunk? Or perhaps you have looked at the same tree on a bitter cold winter day and noticed that it has split open and has a wide gaping crack? These are frost cracks and it is a very common occurrence.

It is believed that the sun warms the surface of the tree on the south and west facing side of trees. On very cold nights when the sun falls and the temps drop well below freezing causes wood tissue to contract, however the inner layers of  wood are better insulated and slower to contract than the outside layers. This causes pressure to build within the wood until a loud popping sound results in a frost crack. Oftentimes when the internal pressure has evened out and stabilized the crack appears to close up again. The tree will then grow callous tissue around the wound over the course of the following summer.

For the most part the wounds are typically only a couple inches deep but I have measured some trees to have very deep cracks of 6” or greater. Trees for the most part are able to heal themselves by growing callus tissue similar to how our own skin heals itself by growing a scar. Unfortunately the resulting scar is now a weakened area that will always be susceptible to opening again in extreme temperature fluctuations. The resulting wounds can also be an entryway for decay causing organisms such as Eutypella Canker in Maple.

Sun scald is another common problem in winter on young trees with paper thin bark. This is also caused by rapid temperature changes and can result in the bark dying and falling off on the side of the trunk leaving a large wound that can take years to heal.

It is believed that wrapping the tree trunk in fall and removing the wrap the following spring can help prevent sun scald on young trees. Brown paper tree wrap has been used for years and is okay however white plastic tree guards are better because the white color will reflect sunlight. Additionally the plastic is a good barrier to prevent injury from deer rubbing their antlers on the bark and from rodents such as rabbits, mice and voles who eat tree bark in winter when other food sources are scarce.

It’s recommended to put tree wrap or tree guards on trees for the first few years until the bark has thickened and developed texture which will have better resistance against sun scald and animal damage.

As always if you see something that doesn’t look right or if you have questions about the maintenance and care of your trees give us a call and have one of our ISA certified arborists take a look, it’s what we are here for.

Dave Anderson, ISA ARBORIST #MN4444A

I don’t know about anybody else, but I think spring is really close. This is a good time of year to start choosing what trees you might want to plant when spring does come. There are several considerations one should make as part of this decision:

1) Where is this tree going, and how much space is there for a tree?

2) What is the purpose of this tree?

3) What is the climate like now, and what will the climate be like in the future as this tree grows?

4) What kind of tree will do best in my yard with the soil conditions, sun availability, space restrictions and water availability?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you can start looking for a species of tree that will fit all of your requirements. The list should be short as you want to only consider species that best match your requirements. You can start by looking at the Recommended Tree Species for Planting for your city or open this hyperlink to info from the US Forest service.

TwinCitiesMN_TreeSpeciesVulnerability.pdf 

Find the trees that sound interesting, then research where these trees do best. For example, if you have a big space in the front yard facing south with a loamy clay soil, and you want some shade, perhaps a Linden would be your choice. Once you pick the species of tree you need to decide what size tree you want and can afford. Just remember that the biggest tree is not always the best choice. The bigger the tree is when it’s dug, the more the roots are damaged and the longer the transplant shock the tree will experience.  

Plant your new tree with the root collar even with the level of the soil. Put a 3 to 4 inch layer of  organic mulch around the tree, keeping it well-watered and you’re on your way to having a nice  tree. In conclusion, match your tree to your site conditions, pick a tree with a healthy, well constructed root system, plant correctly, and take care of it with mulch and proper watering. These are the steps that will lead you to the best success in your tree planting endeavors.  

After the tree nurseries have done their “spring dig” is the best time to shop for trees, as that’s when there is the largest selection. You want to choose a tree that is of reasonable size, with a  well-distributed root system (spreading out in all directions), that is reasonably large enough to  match the size of the tree.

The roots should not be wrapping around each other and not have too many “j-shaped” roots. You want to be able to look at the root system of the tree! Bare root trees are the best for this, but you can buy container trees and expose the roots by  knocking the dirt off to inspect them. You can also do a “box cut” of the root ball, shaving all  four sides of the root ball to eliminate any encircling or j-roots before planting. Don’t plant a  tree with j-roots or encircling roots, as this can lead to stem girdling roots as the tree gets bigger. Find a tree with a nice big root system spreading out in all directions without any “j roots” and that’s half the battle. Most cities, when they are replacing trees, will plant inch and a half or two inch diameter trees that are bare root or container trees. 

Shadywood Tree Experts is not currently offering tree planting service, but we would love to help you with making your tree selection, offering advice on planting techniques and after-care after the tree is planted. Call our office at 952-933-0614 with any questions. 

Steve Schumacher, ISA Arborist #MN4140AM

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As the 2021 summer season wound down, more trees with emerald ash borer (EAB) were identified in the Twin Cities metro and surrounding areas. Residents in the area should be prepared this summer to look at their ash trees and check for any of the symptoms of emerald ash borer. As most people know by now; emerald ash borer is an exotic pest that has been attacking and killing ash trees across the United States. The adult emerald ash borers are, as their name suggests, an emerald-green color with a maroon colored underside. The adults are winged beetles about half an inch long. It’s the white larvae (called flat-headed borers) that actually cause the damage to our ash trees by mining their way through the phloem layer of the tree causing serpentine, s-shaped galleries, or tunnels.

Very seldom are the adults seen and the larvae are hidden beneath the bark of the trees. One must be very “tuned-in” to their trees to notice the subtle changes as EAB larvae damage the conductive tissue of the trees. Take some time to get acquainted with your trees. Learn to identify the ash trees on your property and what healthy trees look like. An infested tree will slowly begin to decline. The top growth will slowly thin out, usually in the 3rd or 4th year of being infested. Woodpeckers will commonly find the larvae in the 3rd or 4 th year and start pecking away at the tree. The pecking action will cause the darker outer bark of the trees to fall away, exposing the lighter, nearly white inner bark. This symptom is called blonding and is often the first sign tree owners will notice.

The blonding on the tree trunk will usually begin near the top of the tree on the south side as this is where the pest begins feeding in 1-2” diameter branches in the upper canopy of ash trees. Also look up in the tree for bark splits where sometimes the s-shaped galleries can be spotted in the exposed wood in the splits. As the infestation of a tree progresses year to year, sometimes the d-shaped exit holes can be seen in the 5th and 6 years of infestation. By the 6th year ash trees are usually dead. When ash trees die from emerald ash borer they become very brittle and dangerous. These dead stems become very unpredictable when they are felled, and special care is needed to remove standing dead ash trees. It’s recommended that a professional tree removal contractor be hired for the removals.

If your ash tree begins to look anemic and you notice any of the above-mentioned symptoms it’s likely infested and should be inspected by a certified arborist and the proper arrangements be made. If your tree still appears healthy and you choose to protect it, treatment options are available from Shadywood Tree Experts. Treatments are most effective when they begin before the tree is infested, so it’s important to contact us soon if you have ash trees.

Steve Schumacher, Shadywood Tree Experts consulting arborist

As predicted, emerald ash borer (EAB) has not only reached Minnesota, the tiny beetles are infesting and killing untreated ash trees, and fast. Unfortunately the situation has reached a critical level in the Twin Cities. 

It is very simple: if you have an ash tree and you would like to keep it, it has to be evaluated by a qualified arborist as soon as possible to see if it is a candidate to be treated. 

If you do not want to treat the tree, it needs to be removed before it is infested and killed by emerald ash borer. There are a few critical reasons why this is the case:

1. The insect can be present in trees causing internal damage for four to five years before it shows outward signs, and then they tend to rapidly decline very quickly.

2. Insects kill the trees by eating through the conductive system, which is how trees get their water and nutrients. Once this begins to happen the tree becomes very dry and brittle and is tremendously prone to failure of large branches or the entire tree. The tree becomes a hazard.

3. It is important to remove ash trees before they get to the dry brittle stage as they can become an expensive, highly technical, complicated removal which involves large equipment in most cases.  

There are only two options for ash trees: apply preventative treatment before EAB is present, or the trees will die. It has been a few years since EAB first spread to Minnesota, and trees that were treated early are still thriving. The window on the option to treat trees is closing, and that’s why it’s important to take action now. 

Our ISA certified arborists can look at your ash trees and determine whether treatment is still an option, and if not, help with a plan for removal. 

Or call us at (952) 933-0614

Read more about emerald ash borer (EAB) at the Hennepin County website: https://www.hennepin.us/ashtrees 

An often overlooked concern facing trees is the impact on them as we build, walk, and live around them. With a lot of new construction occurring in wooded areas with large mature trees, preserving the trees while building around them is becoming more important and is even a requirement in some cities.

While it is important to protect trees from broken branches and damaged bark, protecting the root system is even more critical in preserving longevity. Severing roots by soil excavation depletes the tree of fine absorbing roots which are responsible for water and nutrient uptake. Severing large anchoring roots can cause the tree to become unstable and more likely to fall down.

Preventing or minimizing soil compaction within the critical root zone is the key to minimize the impact of construction activities. The workers here did not take any precautions.

Soil compaction is often overlooked but is an important issue if you know one simple fact, roots do not just live in soil, they live in soil structure which is made up of soil particles and micro pore spaces. Driving heavy equipment back and forth and piling up soil and building supplies around trees will cause compaction. This can be life-threatening to a tree because it deprives their roots of oxygen and decreases the permeability and holding capacity of water, all of which trees need to survive.

Trees intolerant of soil compaction include oak, basswood/linden, sugar maple, paper birch and pine. Trees with slightly more tolerance of compaction include elm, hackberry, honeylocust and black walnut. Trees that show the most tolerance include ash, silver maple, spruce, river birch and boxelder.

Before beginning construction projects it is very important to consult with a tree care expert. Your builder or landscape architect may be an expert at building or designing, but may have limited tree care knowledge and it could cost you your valuable trees.

Here’s what we can do

Shadywood Tree Experts can help you preserve your trees. We can identify critical root zone areas and make recommendations to minimize damage. In addition, we can also provide a growth regulator application which reduces top canopy growth and increases root system growth, helping stressed trees recover from construction related damage. More information about plant growth regulators can be found here. https://www.shadywoodtreeexperts.com/blog/growth-regulator-to-promote-tree-health

Additional things you can do to maintain the health of your trees

Water trees regularly using a hose or lawn sprinkler for at least an hour every one to two weeks if there has not been adequate rainfall. Mulch root systems when possible, using natural wood chips to protect the trunk, condition and improve the soil, and to conserve soil moisture. If you see anything that doesn’t look right, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.

Excavation severs tree roots and heavy equipment has compacted soil in critical root zone

In certain cases, a properly applied growth regulator can help keep your trees healthy. Growth regulator application reduces tree growth for up to three years. By limiting the energy trees put into new growth, they are able to store more energy which is needed to leaf out each spring. Trees may also appear healthier and greener as new leaves are slightly smaller and have more chlorophyll concentrated in them. The change in leaf structure may also increase drought and disease resistance. Beneath the ground, trees develop more fine absorbing roots, increasing their ability to absorb water and nutrients.  

Growth regulator is a chemical compound that affects the growth and development of plants.  When plants produce these compounds themselves they are known as plant hormones. Paclobutrazol is a growth regulator that reduces the growth of trees by blocking gibberellic acid, a plant hormone responsible for the elongation of plant cells. The main use for growth regulators is to preserve declining trees or trees that have had construction damage to their root systems. More information about construction damage can be found here. https://www.shadywoodtreeexperts.com/blog/the-impact-of-construction-on-your-trees-health

A home is going to be built on this empty lot and we treated this oak tree with growth regulator to reduce the impact of construction. This is the trench method of applying product

Here’s what we can do

We can help maintain your trees with the use of growth regulator applications and annual fertilization. When you sign up for plant health care from Shadywood, we administer the recommended protocols for disease prevention control to keep your trees healthy. With each visit, our arborists assess trees for overall health.

Additional things you can do to maintain the health of your trees

Water trees regularly using a hose or lawn sprinkler for at least an hour every one to two weeks whenever there is not adequate rainfall. Mulch root systems when possible, using natural wood chips to protect the trunk, condition and improve the soil, and to conserve soil moisture.  If you see anything that doesn’t look right, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.

Oak wilt is a non-native fungus (Bretziella Fagacearum) that can affect all types of oak trees. Oak wilt attacks the water-conducting vessels in oak trees. Initial symptoms show leaves browning from the point of infection and spreading throughout the leaf canopy. Dead leaves fall to the ground. Oaks in the red oak group (with pointed leaf tips) are the most severely affected, and die within a few months of infection. Oaks in the white oak group (rounded leaf tips) are more resistant and may take years to succumb.

Oak wilt is spread in two ways. The first way is from sap beetles which feed on sap from freshly broken branches or other wounds. Sap beetles are attracted to the fungus and can transmit the disease from a dead infected tree to a healthy one from a fresh wound. The second way oak wilt spreads is through root grafting. When oaks grow in close proximity to one another, their root systems can grow together forming a large, combined root system. Root graft transmission of oak wilt accounts for the the majority of all oak wilt infections in large woodlands.  

Here’s what we can do

Shadywood Tree Experts can help maintain your uninfected oak trees with the use of systemic fungicide trunk injections and removal of infected trees. When you sign up for plant health care from Shadywood, we administer the recommended protocols for disease prevention control to keep your trees healthy. With each visit, our arborists assess trees for overall health.

Oak wilt infected trees tagged by the city forester for removal

Oak wilt spreads from infected oaks to nearby oaks through root grafting, you can see the newly infected tree here and an older dead tree further back into the woodland

Additional things you can do to maintain the health of your oak tree

Only have oak trees pruned when the Oak wilt risk status is safe. At Shadywood Tree Experts, we follow risk status updates from the University of Minnesota. Water trees regularly using a hose or lawn sprinkler for at least an hour every one to two weeks if there has not been adequate rainfall. Mulch root systems when possible, using natural wood chips to protect the trunk, condition and improve the soil, and to conserve soil moisture. If you see anything that doesn’t look right, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.

Galls are abnormal plant growths caused by insects, mites, nematodes, viruses and bacteria. There are many types of galls that can affect various parts of trees, such as leaves, stems, twigs, flowers and buds. Most galls are not harmful, but some types can be very damaging after repeated attack. Of concern are spruce gall adelgids and spruce gall midges. Large numbers of galls for consecutive years can cause spruce branches to become very thin and can even kill the branches.

The spruce gall adelgid group consists of the Eastern spruce gall adelgid and the Cooley spruce gall adelgid, both of which cause pineapple-shaped growths near the ends of branches. The Spruce gall midge causes cylindrical shaped growths at the ends of branches.  

These insects are all slightly different, but affect trees the same way. The feeding of newly hatched insects in spring stimulates plant cells to form a gall around them. Adults emerge from the galls late summer through early fall to reproduce and are very tiny winged insects.

Spruce gall midges causing deformity at branch tips

Here’s what we can do

Shadywood Tree Experts can help maintain your spruce trees with the use of proper pest diagnosis, systemic insecticide applications and annual fertilization. When you sign up for plant health care from Shadywood, we administer the recommended protocols for disease prevention control to keep your trees healthy. With each visit, our arborists assess trees for overall health.

Additional things you can do to maintain the health of your trees

Water trees regularly using a hose or small sprinkler for at least an hour every one to two weeks if there has not been adequate rainfall. Avoid spraying spruce needles directly as excessive moisture can promote fungal diseases. Mulch root systems when possible, using natural wood chips to protect the trunk, condition and improve the soil, and to conserve soil moisture.  If you see anything that doesn’t look right, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.

When Chlorosis is severe leaves appear near white

Chlorosis is a reduction or loss of green coloration of leaves, typically caused by a deficiency of minerals (micronutrients). Early symptoms are pale green color as leaf veins remain dark green while the area between the leaf veins turns lighter. When chlorosis is severe, leaves can appear near white, dwarfed in size and top canopy dieback occurs. When trees have chlorosis they cannot properly photosynthesize food from the sun and slowly starve.  

Common landscape trees prone to chlorosis are Pin Oak, White Oak, River Birch, Red Maple and Autumn Blaze Maple. These trees prefer slightly acidic soil and are less tolerant of neutral to alkaline soil conditions commonly found in the Twin Cities metro area. These trees can do well but may develop chlorosis because fewer micronutrients are available for them in the soil. Additionally water runoff from heavy rain or over-irrigation can cause some nutrients to leach away from the soil.

Here’s what we can do

Shadywood Tree Experts can help maintain your trees with the use of micronutrient trunk injections and annual fertilization. When you sign up for plant health care from Shadywood, we administer the recommended protocols for disease prevention control to keep your trees healthy. With each visit, our arborists assess trees for overall health.

Additional things you can do to maintain the health of your tree

Water trees regularly using a hose or lawn sprinkler for 30-60 minutes (avoid watering to the point of runoff) every one to two weeks if there has not been adequate rainfall. Mulch root systems when possible, using natural wood chips to protect the trunk, condition and improve the soil, and to conserve soil moisture. If you see anything that doesn’t look right, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.

Images below shows a River Birch before we treated and the same tree one year later

Magnolia scale appear as lumps on branches and secrete honeydew

Scale insects can be a serious threat to many types of trees. The small inconspicuous insects often go unnoticed until they become a serious problem. Scales have sucking mouthparts and fix themselves to branches and needles where they feed on sap. They are most noticeable in late spring and summer when they appear as whitish lumps. They get their name from the waxy, shell-like coating which protects them. In severe infestations, entire branches may be coated with scales, and the branches often die.

There are two types of scale insects: soft and armored. Soft scales excrete excess sap as a sweet, sticky material called honeydew. The honeydew drips onto all nearby surfaces. A dark fungus, called black sooty mold grows on the honeydew which results in the leaves and surrounding area to become sticky and blackened. The honeydew also attracts ants, bees, wasps and flies which feed on it. Armored scales are smaller than soft scales and often affix themselves to pine and spruce. Armored scales do not secrete honeydew.

Here’s what we can do

Shadywood Tree Experts can help maintain your trees with proper pest identification and the use of insecticide applications and annual fertilization. When you sign up for plant health care from Shadywood, we administer the recommended protocols for disease prevention control to keep your trees healthy. With each visit, our arborists assess trees for overall health.

Black sooty mold on leaves and surrounding area

Additional things you can do to maintain the health of your tree

Water trees regularly using a hose or lawn sprinkler for at least an hour every one to two weeks if there has not been adequate rainfall. Mulch root systems when possible, using natural wood chips to protect the trunk, condition and improve the soil, and to conserve soil moisture.  If you see anything that doesn’t look right, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.

Hard scale on spruce appear as white lumps on needles and do not secrete honeydew

Adult Japanese Beetle

Japanese beetles are a serious invasive insect pest of both turf and ornamental plants. Introduced to the U.S. from Japan in 1916, Japanese beetles have no natural enemies in Minnesota to naturally control the population. Beetle grubs are white and ‘C’ shaped, about 3/4 to 1 inch in length while adult beetles are approximately 3/8 -1/2 inch in length with a metallic green head with dark tan wings. Please note that there are other grubs and adult beetles that look similar but may not cause the type of damage that Japanese beetles cause. Therefore it is important to contact an ISA Certified Arborist for correct identification.

Both larvae and adult Japanese beetles cause damage. The larva, or grubs, damage turf by consuming grass roots creating dry patches that easily lift up. Look in nearby healthy turf for grubs just under the soil.  Granular insecticide applications followed by watering in mid May to early June can provide good control for grubs.

Skeletonized leaf from Japanese beetle feeding

Adult Japanese beetles cause significant damage to foliage of many types of trees, shrubs and plants. Trees susceptible include: linden, paper birch, crabapples, and elm. Shrubs and perennials susceptible include: grapes, roses and hollyhock. Adult beetles feed beginning in early July until late August creating a ‘skeleton-like’ appearance on the leaves with only leaf veins remaining.

Here’s what we can do

Shadywood Tree Experts can help maintain your trees with the use of insecticide applications and annual fertilization. When you sign up for plant health care from Shadywood, we administer the recommended protocols for disease prevention control to keep your trees healthy. With each visit, our arborists assess trees for overall health.

Linden tree showing symptoms of Japanese beetle damage at the top of leaf canopy

Additional things you can do to maintain the health of your tree

Water trees regularly using a hose or lawn sprinkler for at least an hour every one to two weeks if there has not been adequate rainfall. Mulch root systems when possible, using natural wood chips to protect the trunk, condition and improve the soil, and to conserve soil moisture.  If you see anything that doesn’t look right, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.

The European Sawfly is an introduced pest that primarily attacks pine trees. It gets its unusual name from saw-like structures on its abdomen that the female uses to cut a slit into pine needles where she deposits her eggs.

Sawfly larvae feed on mature needles at the ends of branches

The eggs hatch late April through early May and the newly hatched larvae feed on the previous year’s needle growth at the ends of branches. Many unsuspecting people have been shocked when they first discover sawfly larvae because they group together in clusters and all of them rise up in unison end when startled.

Large pine trees are minimally affected by sawfly larvae and mostly go unnoticed. Small pine trees and mugo pine shrubs can be defoliated after repeated years of attack. Often the branches of the small tree or shrub will be bare with only the new growth shoots remaining at the tips. Sawfly larvae can be treated with contact insecticides when they are active in spring.

Here’s what we can do

Shadywood Tree Experts can help maintain your pines with proper pest identification and insecticide spray applications. When you sign up for plant health care from Shadywood, we administer the recommended protocols for disease prevention control to keep your trees and shrubs healthy. With each visit, our arborists assess trees and shrubs for overall health.

These sawfly larvae are reaching maturity and they will pupate into flies later in the summer

Additional things you can do to maintain the health of your Pine

Water large trees regularly using a hose or small sprinkler for at least an hour once every one to two weeks if there has not been adequate rain. Small shrubs can be watered for a few minutes. Avoid spraying needles directly when watering as wet needles can promote fungal diseases. Mulch root systems when possible, using natural wood chips to condition and improve the soil and to conserve soil moisture. If you see anything that doesn’t look right, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.

This large spruce has been nearly defoliated by spruce spider mites

The Spruce Spider Mite is a pest that causes needle loss and defoliation of spruce trees. They typically become problematic after periods of drought or other factors that cause stress in trees.

Early symptoms of spruce spider mite activity are small tan spots or mottling on needles, which is caused by their feeding. Additionally spruce trees develop a dull, dusty appearance and damaged needles turn tan and fall off.  When the infestation becomes severe, needle loss and defoliation can occur all the way to the top of the tree.

Spruce spider mites are a cool season pest and thrive during spring and fall. They are mostly inactive during the summer months. If spruce spider mites have been confirmed, control can be achieved by spraying horticultural oil and/or miticide in the spring or fall.

Here’s what we can do

Shadywood Tree Experts can help maintain your spruce trees with proper pest identification, proven control methods and annual fertilization. When you sign up for plant health care from Shadywood, we administer the recommended protocols for disease prevention control to keep your trees healthy. With each visit, our arborists assess trees for overall health.

Additional things you can do to maintain the health of your Spruce

Tan spots and mottling on needles is caused by spider mite feeding activity

Water trees regularly using a hose or small sprinkler for at least an hour once every one to two weeks if there has not been adequate rain. Avoid spraying needles directly when watering as excessive moisture can promote fungal diseases. Mulch root systems when possible, using natural wood chips to condition and improve the soil and to conserve soil moisture. If you see anything that doesn’t look right, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.

Thinning of needles is a symptom of needlecast

Needle cast is a common and serious fungal needle disease of spruce trees. There are two types of needle cast: Rhizosphaera and Stigminia. Colorado blue spruce trees are the most severely affected. Native white spruces and its variant Black Hills spruce are more resistant but can also be infected. Norway spruce are seldom affected.

New immature needles can be infected in May and June, although symptoms do not show up until late fall or the following spring. These symptoms include needles turning purple-brown in color and eventually dropping off, causing general thinning of the lower third or half of the spruce. These branches eventually thin, leaving only the current year’s needles on the branch (normally spruces hold 5-7 years worth of needles on branches). These affected branches eventually die leaving a thin, unattractive spruce tree.

Positive identification of Needle cast is made using a small hand lens. The appearance of small black dots, fungal fruiting bodies in place of the healthy white dots (stomata), indicate the presence of needle cast.

When needlecast is severe only current years needles remain

Here’s what we can do

Shadywood Tree Experts can help maintain your trees with the proper disease diagnosis and the use of systemic and/or contact fungicide spray applications and annual fertilization. When you sign up for plant health care from Shadywood, we administer the recommended protocols for disease prevention control to keep your trees healthy. With each visit, our arborists assess trees for overall health.

Additional things you can do to maintain the health of your tree

Water trees regularly using a hose or small sprinkler for at least an hour every one to two weeks if there has not been adequate rainfall. Avoid spraying needles with sprinklers as excessive moisture can make fungal diseases worse. Mulch root systems when possible, using natural wood chips to protect the trunk, condition and improve the soil, and to conserve soil moisture. If you see anything that doesn’t look right, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.

Dutch Elm Disease

Dutch elm disease is a destructive fungal disease of elm tree that has caused the loss millions of elm trees in USA. Brought over from Europe in the 1930’s, the Dutch elm disease fungus, Cerosystis ulmi, has infected and killed most of the stately elms that once lined most streets in the United States. Today, only a small portion of the once mighty elms remain and are still being infected and killed by Dutch elm disease.

Dutch elm disease is spread in two ways. The primary way is by native and the European elm bark beetles. These beetles begin their lives in dead and dying elms, a requirement for reproduction. As beetles feed under the bark, the fungal spores of Cerosystis ulmi adhere to the bodies of newly emerging beetles. These beetles then fly to neighboring elms and begin feeding and spreading the disease.

The second way Dutch elm disease is spread is through underground root grafting. When plants grow in close proximity to one another, their root systems can actually grow together, forming one very large combined root system. If one tree becomes infected and is not removed before the fungus grows down to the root system, it will spread to the adjoining tree and infect it.

There is an effective root flare injection treatment to prevent the beetle spread of Dutch elm disease. Unfortunately, there is no easy treatment to prevent the root graft transmission, aside from physically severing the root systems using a vibratory plow.

What Shadywood Tree Experts Recommends for elm trees

We can help maintain your trees with the use of systemic fungicide trunk injections and annual fertilization. When you sign up for plant health care from Shadywood, we administer the recommended protocols for disease prevention control to keep your trees healthy. With each visit, our arborists assess trees for overall health.

Additional things you can do to maintain your elm tree’s health

Water trees regularly using a lawn sprinkler for at least an hour (soaking) once every one to two weeks to minimize moisture stress. Mulch root systems when possible, using natural wood chips to protect the trunk, condition and improve the soil, and to conserve soil moisture.  If you see anything that doesn’t look right, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.

Early symptoms of Diplodia show new needle growth has died before fully expanding

Diplodia Blight

Diplodia Blight is a twig and branch canker disease caused by the fungus Diplodia Pinea. The disease primarily affects mature pine trees that have become stressed after periods of drought or poor site conditions. Austrian pine are the most severely affected while Red pine have slightly better resistance. Initial symptoms appear when new shoot growth at the tips of branches becomes stunted and turns brown. Severely affected limbs with very little green growth can become girdled by the canker, causing the entire limb to die.  

Dothistroma needle blight

Early symptoms of dothistroma shows reddish spots forming into a band that girdles the needle.

Dothistroma needle blight is a needle disease caused by the fungus Dothistroma Pini. It can affect many types of pine but Austrian Pine are the most severely affected. Symptoms first appear on fully grown needles as yellow-tan spots. The spots then form a reddish brown band that girdles the needle and the tip turns tan. By the end of the year the entire needle will turn tan. Fungal spores spread the disease from infected needles onto nearby healthy ones, repeating the disease cycle. New infection can occur multiple times per year but most commonly occurs in spring during long periods of rain.

Additional notes:

In most cases, diseased pine trees show symptoms of both diseases and the products we use provide effective control for both at the same time.  Some trees may be too tall to spray the very top (if they are above 50’ tall), but the diseases predominantly occur on lower portions of the tree, while the very top remains green and healthy. Annual spray treatments may significantly reduce these diseases but cannot cure the tree entirely.
Avoid using nitrogen based fertilizers near diseased pine trees (this includes lawn fertilizer) as nitrogen has been shown to accelerate disease development.

Here’s what we can do

Shadywood Tree Experts can help maintain your trees with the use of systemic and/or contact fungicide spray applications. When you sign up for plant health care from Shadywood, we administer the recommended protocols for disease prevention control to keep your trees healthy. With each visit, our arborists assess trees for overall health.

Additional things homeowners can do to maintain their pine trees:

Water your pine by running a hose near the trunk of the tree for a deep soaking of 1-2 hours if we do not receive adequate rain (small trees can be watered for a shorter time). Rake up and dispose of fallen diseased needles. Mulch the area beneath the tree with a wood mulch or chips. If you see anything that doesn’t look right, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.

When severe Diplodia causes entire limbs to die

Sap bleeding from branch cankers caused by Diplodia

Early disease development in bur oak leaves

Bur oak blight (BOB) is a native fungal leaf disease that affects certain native varieties of bur oaks, and to a lesser extent swamp white oaks. Not all bur oak trees are susceptible, due to genetic differences in bur oak species. Though not directly life threatening, BOB can weaken oak trees over time and make them susceptible to more serious problems such as Two-Lined Chestnut Borer and Armillaria Root Rot.

Extended periods of damp, wet weather in early May create conditions that cause the BOB fungus to infect newly forming oak leaves. Symptoms begin as browning and dropping leaves in July and August in the lower third of the canopy and progressing to the upper canopy as the disease progresses over the years. A telltale symptom of BOB are leaves remaining on the tree throughout the winter rather than dropping off like normal shade trees. Fungal spores are produced on the dead leaves as well as on affected branches and twigs, allowing for continual disease spread throughout the year.

Infected leaves remain attached to tree all winter to infect new leaves the following spring.

Management of BOB is centered on keeping the tree as healthy as possible. Watering and fertilizing are key maintenance procedures that are critical for long term survival. Other treatments worth considering include insect control to prevent and control two-lined chestnut borers. For moderately affected and high value trees, fungicide trunk injections can reduce leaf browning and loss. Plant growth regulator application to reduce growth may allow trees to conserve more energy needed to leaf out each spring.

Here’s what we can do

Shadywood Tree Experts can help maintain your Bur oak trees with the use of fungicide trunk injections, annual fertilization and if needed, insecticide and growth regulator applications. When you sign up for plant health care from Shadywood, we administer the recommended protocols for disease prevention control to keep your trees healthy. With each visit, our arborists assess trees for overall health.

Additional things you can do to maintain the health of your tree

Water trees regularly using a lawn sprinkler for at least an hour (soaking) once every one  to two weeks to minimize moisture stress. Mulch root systems when possible, using natural wood chips to protect the trunk, condition and improve the soil, and to conserve soil moisture. If you see anything that doesn’t look right, have your trees inspected by one of Shadywood Tree Experts International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists.