Summer is a rather stormy season here in Missouri. Many storms pack in quite a punch with lots of high winds, lightning, and some even spawning tornados, all of which can cause a great deal of damage to your trees. In the event that your trees receive damage during a storm of any sort, it’s important to avoid making hasty decisions because that can cause you to possibly loose a tree that could have been saved.

Pine wilt is a very serious problem here in Missouri and the rest of the mid-Western United States. Pine wilt is a tree disease that generally affects Scots pines, as well as Austrian, jack, mugo, and red pines, as well as white pines in a few rare cases.

In the summer, we seem to appreciate those shade trees in our yards more than ever. They block out the sun, and sometimes offer a bit of relief from the heat. However, to enjoy the shade they provide, it’s important to take proper care of your shade trees, and it’s especially important to make sure that they receive adequate amounts of water.

Since it is Friday, we thought it would be fun to post a little tree trivia here on our blog. Today we’re going to tell you all about the Missouri state tree – the flowering dogwood! Here are some facts about this tree, which probably displays its beauty in many of your yards.

On our blog we often write about bugs that can be damaging to your trees but many bugs are great for your trees, shrubs and gardens. According to the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Kemper Center here are some bugs that you actually want to have hanging around! So think before you squash the next bug you see in your backyard.

Bagworm season will be here in a matter of days. Bagworms have been known to feed on about 128 plant species, according to the University of Missouri's Department of Entomology. Most commonly, they attack arborvitae, red cedar and various other juniper species, as well as black locusts, maples, and sycamores.

Did you know that the state of Missouri is home to 77 communities that have been designated as a “Tree City USA” community? Kansas City and several of its surrounding communities, including Grandview, Lee’s Summit, Independence, and North Kansas City have earned this title. This is quite a prestigious recognition bestowed on over 3,400 communities around the nation.

Spring is here and that means it is also thunderstorm season in the Kansas City area, so we thought we would take a moment to remind everyone that Cartwright Tree Care offers a 24-hour Emergency Response Service. Any time storms are in the forecast, our response teams are put on alert and will be ready and available to relieve you of the damage caused by limbs and debris that has fallen onto houses, cars and driveways, as well as provide an expert diagnosis of the damage to your trees. They will also determine cost-effective treatment options to restore your trees’ health.