Credit: Jason Sharman, Vitalitree, Bugwood.org
Scientific name: Gymnocladus dioicus
Native to: Hardwood region west of the Appalachians (includes Wisconsin)
Mature Height*: 50’-70’
Spread*: 30’-50’
Form: large upright oval to rounded tree, has irregular course outline in winter
Growth Rate*: slow to medium
Foliage: very large bipinnately compound leaves 17”-36”, individual leaflets are 1”-2” long and pointed
Fall color: yellow
The University of Wisconsin Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic (PDDC) has started to accept a limited number of physical samples. However, clinic staffing and hours will be limited, and the number of samples that the clinic will be able to accommodate will be severely restricted. Prioritization of the samples currently goes to:
Continue reading “Plant disease diagnostics in the time of COVID-19”
The UW-Madison Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic (PDDC) provides expertise in diagnosing plant diseases, and information on plant diseases and their control to agricultural and horticultural producers and businesses, as well as home gardeners, throughout the state of Wisconsin.
If you are interested in receiving regular updates on the educational materials and programs provided by the PDDC, please email Brian Hudelson at pddc@wisc.edu to have your email address added to the new clinic listserv, “UWPDDCLearn”. This listserv will provide announcements of when new content is posted to the PDDC website (https://pddc.wisc.edu/), including (but not limited to) new and revised University of Wisconsin Garden Facts/Farm Facts/Pest Alerts fact sheets, the Wisconsin Disease Almanac (a weekly summary of diagnoses made at the PDDC) and monthly clinic web articles. The listserv will also provide announcements about upcoming PDDC outreach programs.
Continue reading “New UW-Madison Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic listserv”
Gusty winds, very low humidity, and little-to-no precipitation lead to a weekend of critical fire weather conditions. The threat is predicted to continue into early next week with elevated fire danger across the state.
To help us keep Wisconsinites safe, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources continues to request that the public avoid outdoor burning, including limiting the use of campfires and off-road vehicles and to avoid disposing hot ashes from woodstoves in grass or wooded areas.
Fire control officials are concerned that the cooler temperatures and slightly lesser winds will cause the public to become complacent as Wisconsin enters the peak of wildfire season. The main factor going into the weekend is the very low humidity levels (~15-20%), coupled with tinder dry vegetation. Fires under these circumstances can start easily and spread quickly.
The greatest chance of precipitation will occur on Saturday evening, but will be confined to southern Wisconsin. Winds will be out of the north and northwest for the duration of this timeframe. Fuel conditions such as trees, shrubs and grasses are very dry. Please continue to take extra precautions as a dry stretch of weather remains.
The northern half of the state is entering a critical time for catastrophic fire, especially in sandy soil and pine areas. Fires in these locations are starting to see increased fire behavior, resulting in fire moving from the surface to the crowns of the trees, making fire suppression more challenging. The greening of vegetation is progressing in the southern part of the state which is lessening the fire risk.
Burning remains suspended with DNR-issued burning permits for debris piles, barrels and grass or wooded areas. We are also asking the public again to be especially careful with any activities that could potentially lead to a wildland fire such as smoking, chainsaws, dragging trailer chains, off-road vehicles or other small engines have the potential to throw sparks. Use extreme caution until the fire weather improves.
The DNR will be on high alert across the entire state this weekend, pre-positioning equipment for rapid response. The DNR has four contract tanker planes and access to the Wisconsin Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopters with bucket capability.
Continue to monitor the current situation by searching the DNR website using keyword “fire.”
By Kyoko Scanlon, forest pathologist, Kyoko.Scanlon@wisconsin.gov, 608-235-7532
The Wisconsin DNR recently created a short video on Heterobasidion root disease (HRD) to compliment the updated guidelines that were released in 2019. The 5-minute educational video covers HRD biology, its significance as a tree disease, signs and symptoms, as well as preventative measures that landowners can take to reduce its introduction and spread. This is a great video for forestry professionals, landowners and the general public to learn more about HRD. Continue reading “Educational HRD video now available”
Emerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive insect from Asia that was first introduced into the United States in 2002. Since its discovery, EAB has caused the death and decline of tens of millions of ash trees. Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is using ash trees against the pest to help preserve and protect the tree species. Staff in the USDA EAB biological control (biocontrol) program are asking Wisconsin landowners in Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and Door counties to help by donating infested ash trees for use in raising wasps that attack and kill EAB.
USDA staff cut a “bark window” in green ash to uncover signs of EAB.
By Bill McNee, forest health specialist, Oshkosh, Bill.Mcnee@wisconsin.gov, 920-360-0942
The DNR Forest Health Program currently has proposed guidance, “Organizing an aerial spray for forest pests: Recommendations and regulations,” available for public comment until May 25. The document can be found on the proposed DNR program guidance webpage under “new proposed program guidance.” Comments can be submitted through this webpage.
Cover page of proposed aerial spray guide.
Continue reading “Proposed guidance available for public comment”
By Becky Gray, forest health team leader, Fitchburg, Rebecca.Gray@wisconsin.gov, 608-220-3022
Due to COVID-19, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is extending pesticide certifications. If your pesticide certification will expire between January 31st and September 30th, then your certification is now valid until October 31st. Please refer to DATCP’s press release for more details.
If you were planning to take the test for pesticide certification this spring, DATCP is offering online pesticide exams for certain categories, including Forestry Category 2.0. The online exams are only for a temporary pesticide applicator certification which will be good until October 31st. Please refer to DATCP’s press release explaining the online pesticide exams for more information.
By Mike Hillstrom, forest health specialist, Fitchburg, Michael.Hillstrom@wisconsin.gov, 608-513-7690
2019 was the wettest year ever recorded in Wisconsin. Four of Wisconsin’s top five wettest years have taken place in the last decade, three of them in the last five years: 2019, 2018 and 2016. Flooding can be stressful for trees, and with flooding occurring over the past few years in many parts of the state, forest health staff expect the impacts to forests to continue to escalate. Continue reading “Two-lined chestnut borer in flooded oak stands”
By Linda Williams, forest health specialist, Woodruff, Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov, 920-360-0665
White pine branches that suddenly turn red may be a sign of white pine blister rust. White pine blister rust is a fungal infection that creates expanding “dead spots” or cankers on the branches or main stem of host trees. Eventually the fungus grows enough to girdle the branch or main stem and the needles fade from green to pale green to rusty red. Orange, spore-producing pustules erupt around the edges of the canker in the spring.
Orange pustules erupt through the bark and around the margins of a white pine blister rust canker. Photo by Jean Romback-Bartels.
Continue reading “White pine blister rust can girdle branches”
