[College of ACES] [University of Illinois] [Illinois CES]

Anthracnose (?) in London Planes

ieraci@zip.com.au
Thu, 21 Nov 1996 08:20:04 -0600

Over the last two years I have seen to Platanus x acerifolia that have been affected by a leaf spot disease identified by a plant pathologist as - Discular umbrinella.
In both cases the trees had been stressed/predisposed by 1. intentional (but poorly carried out) poisoning and 2.accidental poisoning (a "weed and feed" solution containing dicamba).

In both cases the symptoms are very much like anthracnose and appeared in Spring. In case 1. the tree survived. In case 2. it is in a severe state of decline with the disease reappearing during the following Sping. For both trees measures were taken to improve growing conditions eg mulch, judicious use of slow release fertiliser, judicious irrigation over summer etc.

Questions:

Any comments / advise would be appreciated and a North American perspective valued for what tends to be unusual problem here.

Thanks in advance,

Garry Clubley
Consulting Arborist
Sydney
Australia