Tree Health
Tree pests and diseases can vary massively between regions, which is why it can be difficult to diagnose the problem a tree is suffering from. Below is some basic information about the most common tree health issues, and we recommend consulting an arborist if you are in need of further assistance.
Take a look at the Pests and Diseases page of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services Website to learn more about specific tree health problems.
Drought is a common problem affecting trees all across the country. Not having enough water causes a range of problems for plants including:
Keep your trees safe from draught by choosing a species that will survive well where you live and following basic tree watering guidelines.
The diseases that affect trees can vary between trees and regions. We’ve listed the most common tree diseases to watch out for:
This affects flowering and Pacific dogwoods
This affects different elms to different degrees including American, winged, September, slippery, rock, and cedar elms.
This affects hazelnut trees
This affects most oak species
This will primarily affect non-native pines including Austrian, Scot, and Japanese red and black pines
Sudden oak death will fatally affect coast live oaks, tanoaks, California black oaks, Shrew’s oaks, and canyon live oaks. It may also affect coast redwoods, Douglas fir trees, madrones, and other kinds of trees
Primarily affects black walnut trees
Much like with diseases, the pests that can damage trees can vary between trees and regions. Here are some of the more common tree pests that you may encounter:
These pests affect paper birches, green ashes, cedar elms, horse chestnuts, golden rain trees, hackberries, London planetrees, mimosas, sugar maples, poplars, willows, and mountain ashes.
These pests affect a variety of different trees depending on the type of beetle
These primarily affect ash trees
These affect hundreds of different plant species, but will commonly attack aspens and oaks
These affect eastern/Canadian and Carolina hemlock
These can affect hundreds of different plant species
These will occasionally affect shrubs and small trees
An invasive species is a kind of plant, animal, or pathogen not native to the region that will – or already has – caused damage. Learn more about invasive species’ through the National Invasive Species Information Center.