A month on from my last photo of the Horse Chestnut tree and the flowers have become conkers, very small still of course.
Sadly there are early signs of the disease which now affects the leaves each year - brown splodges starting to appear. In another month they will be even more widespread. The odd thing about this disease which is relatively new here (last 30 years maybe) is that it doesn't have any effect on the actual tree.....thankfully. Having lost Elm trees and Ash trees to disease we don't want to lose Horse Chestnut trees as well.
Guignardia Leaf Blotch (Guignardia aesculi): A fungus-driven disease.
- Symptoms: Irregular dull brown or reddish blotches, often surrounded by a conspicuous yellow band, typically concentrated at the leaf tips and edges.
- Impact: Mostly an aesthetic issue, though severe attacks cause the leaves to shrivel entirely. Raking up and destroying fallen leaves in autumn helps limit the spread for the following spring
The fungus was introduced accidentally into the UK from North America in the last century and has gradually spread around the country.
Here's a reminder of how the tree looked a month ago
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Loving the progress of the Tree. Sad about the blotches
ReplyDeleteThe trees look really sad by October.
DeleteI hadn't heard about the disease. Sad, but at least it doesn't kill the trees.
ReplyDeleteWe had a pink flowered Horse Chestnut at the smallholding which was beginning to show signs of the disease in the early 2000's.
DeleteThere was a magnificent pink horse chestnut tree somewhere in Essex and they had painted the old house in exactly the same shade as the tree in the front garden. It is sad about the disease but something that can't be helped.
ReplyDeleteSo many diseases have destroyed so many trees - it's very sad. But Horse Chestnuts hang on.
DeleteA lovely tree
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
It's a beautifully well balanced tree, so sad that is has this blotchy disease. We have hundreds of horse chestnut trees in our area, I will have to look out for the splodges here.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, the tree has certainly grown. So sorry to hear about the blotchy disease.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I believe the same disease attacks Horse Chestnut trees in the US. It is sad to see brown spots on the leaves.
ReplyDeleteWe also lost many Elm trees.
I wonder if anyone is working on a treatment for the virus/brown spots on the trees.
I have a huge horse chestnut tree in my small back garden, I'm beginning to wonder if it will soon outgrow the space. Its wonderful in flower but oh the mass of petals and then leaves in Autumn. It's becoming a bit of a love/hate relationship.
ReplyDeleteLovely looking tree but a shame about the fungus.
ReplyDelete