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Diseases of the Balsam Fir Tree
Diseases of the Balsam Fir Tree. Balsam fir (Abies balsamea) is an evergreen native tree of northern and central United States. Balsam fir belongs to the pine family and achieves a mature height of about 70 feet with a 20 feet spread. The tree has an open, pyramidal shape and thrives in acidic moist soil. Balsam fir is hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 5,...
Balsam fir (Abies balsamea) is an evergreen native tree of northern and central United States. Balsam fir belongs to the pine family and achieves a mature height of about 70 feet with a 20 feet spread. The tree has an open, pyramidal shape and thrives in acidic moist soil. Balsam fir is hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 5, most well adapted to areas with cold winters and cool summers. Balsam fir trees is susceptible to a number of diseases.
Needle Blight
Needle blight is a fungal disease of balsam fir caused by Delphinella balsameae. The fungus infects the needles of the trees leading to curled, shriveled and dead needles. There is often a dieback of terminal or lateral shoots accompanied with cankers on needle base. The disease is common on balsam firs and ornamental firs in the northern regions of New England. Chemical control options for needle blight include three spray application of Bordeaux mixtures with an interval of 10 days. Start treatment at the time of the new growth in spring.
Shoestring Rot
The United States Department of Agriculture lists armillaria shoestring rot as a potential fungal disease of balsam fir. The disease is caused by numerous fungi in the Armillaria group, more commonly Armillaria mellea. The fungus strikes at the tree roots leading to rot and decay. Symptoms of shoestring rot appear in the form of stunted tree growth with yellowing, browning and dropping needles. The presence of the disease is established by the felt like fungal growth between the bark and the wood when the bark is peeled back. There is also black string like growth on the roots. There is no cure for shoestring rot. Remove all severely infected trees from roots and destroy. Avoid new planting in the areas without soil fumigation.
Red Heart Rot
Red heart rot is cites as a potential disease of balsam fir tree by the United States Department of Agriculture. The fungus enters the tree mainly through tree wounds to branches and trunk and causes major decay in the trees. Early symptoms include the appearance of hoof shaped or flat conks or fruiting bodies on the trunk. The heartwood of infected tree is red to reddish brown in color and there are swollen knots on infected trees. The disease rots the tree, making it weak and eventually leading to death. Remove severely infected trees entirely, including roots.
