Fire Blight on Crabapples

/Home/Garden Basics/Trees/Tree Diseases/Crabapple Tree Diseases/Crabapple Fire Blight Disease

Bacterial disease affecting plants in the Rose family
By: Sandy Feather ©2008
Penn State Cooperative Extension

Q. My crabapple tree bloomed beautifully this spring, but some of the blooms seemed to die. Now I'm noticing that some of the branches look like they are dying at the tips. Can you tell me what might be wrong, and what I can do to help my crabapple tree?

A. Judging by your description and the branch sample you sent, your crabapple (Malus spp.) is suffering from a common disease known as fire blight. This bacterial disease, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, affects many plants in the rose family, including apple, cotoneaster, crabapple, hawthorns, pears, pyracantha and serviceberries. Fire blight enters susceptible plants through wounds and through natural openings, such as the nectaries of flowers. Bees and other pollinators commonly spread the disease as they work the flowers. The development of fire blight is favored by warm, wet spring weather.

Copyright ©1998-2012 DONNAN.COM All rights reserved.