Birch Anthracnose, Chlorosis, and More

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Anthracnose is a common spring disease, especially in cool, wet conditions. Since those conditions occur in Illinois every year, we see anthracnose every year. There are many fungi that cause anthracnose diseases on many hosts. It is not just one big, powerful pathogen. The common thread is the weather requirement, infection of lush new growth, and formation of fruiting bodies called acervuli. Anthracnose is common on ash, oak, maple, sycamore, and many other shade tree species. It is relatively common as well on birch. The image shows a river birch infected with anthracnose. These spots could be caused by other leaf infecting fungi, including Septoria, Cylindrosporium, Discula, and Marssonina. In most cases there is no need to spray trees to combat these leaf spots. One exception is young nursery trees that may warrant sprays to help maintain foliage in production.

College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Illinois Natural History Survey