In spring, when trees begin active growth, symptoms of fire blight may appear. Fire blight affects only plants of the roseacea family. When a flowering shoot of an apple, cotoneaster, crab apple, hawthorn, pear, pyracantha, rose or photinia dies suddenly and likes as though it has been scorched by fire, fire blight is the probable cause.
The first sign is a bacterial secretion that oozes from branch, twig or trunk cankers–small to large areas of bark killed by the pathogen during the previous season. This ooze turns dark after exposure to air, leaving dark streaks on branches or trunks. Sometimes cankers can be inconspicuous and infections may go unnoticed until later in spring when flowers, shoots and young fruit shrivel and blacken.
Repeated treatments may be necessary but fire blight is controllable. Our experts can diagnose and treat your plantings for the optimum results.
