You may recall that we discussed the topic of pine wilt about a month ago. Pine wilt is a tree disease that is caused by parasitic organisms called nematodes, which feed off of living plant cells and can clog the resin canals of a tree, causing it to wilt and eventually die.
Recently, this silent tree killer has become an epidemic here in Kansas City. Thousands of trees in our area have been taken down due to pine wilt. Our own Cheryl Cartwright spoke with NBC Action News about the pine wilt epidemic, saying “When the weather is very warm, the trees are more susceptible because they’re a little bit more under stress. It can be rapidly transferred tree-to-tree, especially when trees are close to each other.”
Pine wilt generally affects trees that are 10 years or older in the Scotch, Austrian, Japanese Black, White, and Loblolly pine species. The pine needles on infected trees generally turn a dull green or brown, and infected trees can die in a matter of months or weeks, especially in warmer weather.
Pine wilt is a serious issue and Cartwright Tree Care is here to help. If you have a tree that you believe to be infected with pine wilt, contact us today. We can safely remove the tree, and we also offer preventative treatments to prevent the disease from transferring to other trees in your yard.
Photo credit: Jennifer Smith / LJWorld.com