A problem none of us can ignore

Ash Die back is predicted to kill 95% of all Ash trees in the UK.

What is ash dieback?

Ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) is a fungus which originated in Asia. It doesn’t cause much damage on its native hosts of the Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandshurica) and the Chinese ash (Fraxinus chinensis) in its native range. However, its introduction to Europe about 30 years ago has devastated the European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) because our native ash species did not evolve with the fungus and this means it has no natural defence against it.

The nature of the disease causes the tree to lose its water content making the wood brittle, which can have implications for the tree and those arborists who work on them.

What does ash dieback look like?

Ash dieback can affect ash trees of all ages. Younger trees succumb to the disease quicker but in general, all affected trees will have these symptoms:

• Leaves develop dark patches in the summer.
• They then wilt and discolour to black. Leaves might shed early.
• Dieback of the shoots and leaves is visible in the summer.
• Lesions develop where branches meet the trunk. These are often diamond-shaped and dark brown.
• Inner bark looks brownish-grey under the lesions.
• New growth from previously dormant buds further down the trunk. This is known as epicormic growth and is a common response to stress in trees.

What happens to the tree?

The fungus overwinters in leaf litter on the ground, particularly on ash leaf stalks. It produces small white fruiting bodies between July and October which release spores into the surrounding atmosphere.

These spores can blow tens of miles away. They land on leaves, stick to and then penetrate into the leaf and beyond. The fungus then grows inside the tree, eventually blocking its water transport systems, causing it to die.

The tree can fight back, but year-on-year infections will eventually kill it.

Trees that are infected and in poor health also have a higher risk of contracting a secondary and also dangerous disease such as Honey Fungus.
We are here to help so if you think your Ash tree is showing any signs of ADB Just give us a call. Leaving trees that are infected makes our job more dangerous and also puts you and others at risk.