There are over 20 tree diseases that can cause the decline in health and death of most of the trees in the United States. Any of these diseases can cause enough damage to a tree that is would need to be removed. Below is a short list of tree diseases. These diseases are just some that cause of significant replacement expense of yard trees as well as  the need to have a professional remove trees from residential and commercial locations. 

American Chestnut Blight
Chestnut blight is a tree fungus that has nearly eliminated the commercialized American Chestnut from Eastern hardwood tree forests. Although the roots from the American Chestnut that were cut or killed many years ago continue to produce small sprouts that survive to the sapling stage, they are then killed by the fungus. There is no hope currently that a cure for this disease will be found. The American Chestnut Blight fungus is widespread throughout the US.It can also be found on chinkapin, Spanish chestnut, and post oak, but it is not lethal on these types of trees.

Amillaria Root Rot
The Amillaria Root Rot disease attacks hardwood and softwood trees and kills shrubs, and vines  in every state in the United States. Amillaria Root Rot is profoundly destructive to commercial crops of trees and is a major cause of oak tree death. The Armillaria Root Rot can kill trees that are already weakened by competition, other pests, or climatic factors. When the Root Rot does not kill a tree, it can make it vulnerable to other disease and fungus.

Anthracnose and Leaf Spot Diseases
Anthracnose diseases of hardwood trees are common mostly throughout the Eastern United States. These diseases are recognized by the dead areas or blotches on the leaves that they cause. The diseases are particularly bad on American sycamore, the white oak group, black walnut and dogwood.

Annosus Root Rot
The Annosus Root Rot disease is a rot of conifers (i.e. pine-trees) in many temperate parts of the world. The decay, called annosus root rot, often kills the trees. This is especially common in the Southern Eastern U.S. The fungus, (Fomes annosus), usually enters by infecting freshly cut stump surfaces. That makes annosus root rot a problem in thinned pine plantations where tree branches and trunks have been cut en masse, but not covered or treated with a special coating to keep the Root Rot out.

Aspen Canker
Quaking aspen is one of the most well-known and widespread tree species in the western United States, but they are very susceptible to several wound-invading fungi cause such as the Aspen Canker.

There are many diseases that affect tree health and learning about how to protect your trees could keep them from having to be removed. Check back here to learn more about tree health in the coming months.