Last fall, the Capital Region’s maple trees were impacted by two fungal diseases that caused leaves to become spotty and fall prematurely. The first disease, anthracnose, caused brown spots and lesions on maple leaves and in some cases the whole tree turned brown. The second disease outbreak seen in maples is called “tar spot” disease which causes dark spots to appear on leaves of affected trees. This does not generally kill the tree, but it does cause the tree to lose its leaves early before having a chance to display its beautiful fall foliage.
The heavy rainfall in the Capital Region last spring and summer created conditions that were ideal for these fungal diseases. Let’s hope this year is more temperate so we can enjoy the beautiful foliage in the Fall.
If you notice spots on your tree leaves, give Green Thumb a call and we can help diagnose the problem.