Is Your Tree or Shrub Suffering From a Disease? See below to find out.

Learn more about Michigan trees & shrubs, and the diseases they commonly suffer from. Worried your tree or shrub is suffering from
a disease? Click here to learn about our Tree & Shrub Care Program,
or you can click below to contact a Richter's Beautification Tree & Shrub Care professional. Scroll to learn more about the different diseases that could be affecting your trees and shrubs.

Tree & Shrub Diseases

Anthrachnose

Often invades early in the season.
This disease is often confused with oak wilt. It causes leaves to become dry and brown with blotchy spots. It can cause leaves of the tree to drop. 

Apple Scab

This disease causes apple and crabapple trees to lose their leaves in early and late spring, as well as early summer. Brown and black spots will cover these leaves. This disease can spread from tree to tree (between apple and crabapple trees).

Black Knot

This disease goes after the branches and fruits of a tree, and it will not kill a tree if treated. It causes a soft green growth to appear first, eventually becoming hard black knots by fall. 

Cytospora Canker

This disease is most common in trees over 15 years. Discoloration (yellow/orange-brown) on bark and branches. Wood and inner bark may discolor as well. Turns needles brown, while lower branches die back. Severe cases can kill a tree.

Diplodia Tip Blight 

This disease can spread from pine to pine. This disease will make trees prone to insect damage/infestation. Tree's needles will turn brown, with gray at the tips. It can spread to the tree's twigs and branches. Can be life threatening if not treated or diagnosed.

Leaf Blight

This disease affects both trees and shrubs. It causes brown/tan/black spots, some with rings, on the foliage of affected plants. In wet landscapes, this disease can spread throughout a landscape. Can cause leaf loss.  Typically, not deadly to trees and shrubs.

Needle Cast

This disease will start its attack in late winter or early spring. Turns needles to a reddish-brown. As the disease progresses, trees will appear scorched, a complete red/brown color, with all dead needles.

Powdery Mildew

This disease can be spread by spores being blown in the wind from tree to tree​​. The leaves will have a light gray/white film on them; from there they will turn brown and drop earlier than their normal drop time.

Tar Spots

Initially, this disease will present as small, light yellow spots that appear just about mid-June. The spots will intensify and gradually become more yellow before darkening into the black, tar-like spots.