Looks like Dutch Elm Disease?
- Thread starter Bayers
- Start date
Where in the USA are you. More specific location would help. I am in west centralGeorgia/east central Alabama. we have few Elm trees but because of that we don't have DED. The leaves look fine. DED will cause the leaves to yellow and wilt then turn brown. This will be at the ends of branchlets and along individual leaders. The broken branch close up looks to be rather old, can you give any better information on that?
treevet
Branched out member
- Location
- Cincinnati, Ohio
B
Bacterial wetwood (slime flux) in this pict. Nothing apparent to indicate DED in your pictures. Elms will flag in june or turn yellow like you mentioned in portions of the canopy or entire canopy as a symptom often. I think the only way to get a foolproof diagnosis tho is in a laboratory.
Bacterial wetwood (slime flux) in this pict. Nothing apparent to indicate DED in your pictures. Elms will flag in june or turn yellow like you mentioned in portions of the canopy or entire canopy as a symptom often. I think the only way to get a foolproof diagnosis tho is in a laboratory.
treevet
Branched out member
- Location
- Cincinnati, Ohio
Good to see you to Oldoakman. I had cancer at the beginning of the year, had the prostate removed, been free for a number of checkups. Hope all is well with you and family.
KTSmith
Branched out member
- Location
- Maine, New Hampshire
Although there are foliar effects from DED on American and red elm (and other species in the genus), they are not diagnostic. Nothing in the photos contain unambiguous indicators of DED. There is a lot online from the various state extension services on DED, but you could start: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/plpath-tree-04 and move to your state.
For me the vascular streaking, best evident in axial rips of small branches/branchlets, is diagnostic for a vascular wilt disease. If the host is elm, most likely to be DED.
Treevet, congrats on the cancer treatment. Went through that myself in 2018. Yes like they say, prostate cancer develops slowly and gradually....except when it moves rapidly and suddenly. The latter was my case, did not catch it early so they left it all in place and zapped me with a couple of flavors of radiation and anti-androgen chemical treatment. Not fun, but survivable. Keep at it! Sorry if this is too off-topic, but sharing encouragement is important to me.
For me the vascular streaking, best evident in axial rips of small branches/branchlets, is diagnostic for a vascular wilt disease. If the host is elm, most likely to be DED.
Treevet, congrats on the cancer treatment. Went through that myself in 2018. Yes like they say, prostate cancer develops slowly and gradually....except when it moves rapidly and suddenly. The latter was my case, did not catch it early so they left it all in place and zapped me with a couple of flavors of radiation and anti-androgen chemical treatment. Not fun, but survivable. Keep at it! Sorry if this is too off-topic, but sharing encouragement is important to me.
ATH
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Findlay, Ohio
Lab diagnostic can be tough this time of year because you may not have specimen with live disease. If you have a branch that was symptomatic, vetdna.com can do dna analysis to see of DED was present. Look for their horticultural sample form.
The only thing in those pics that seems suspect are the 2 dead/barkless branches. But every tree will drop lower branches. Those branches died a few years ago as evidenced by the collar growing around the dead. Worth noting, it is possible that those were killed by DED and the tree successfully walled it off. Technically, a tree killed by many of the vascular wilts "killed itself" as it shuts down "pipes" trying to contain the spread. Think of emergency doors in a submarine. Each one is shut trying to stop movement. The problem is the whole tree doesn't "know" that is happening. Cells in a small area are reacting to the invader thinking they are saving the whole tree by "shutting the doors". SOMETIMES that is successful. Moreso in Slippery elm than American elm.
The only thing in those pics that seems suspect are the 2 dead/barkless branches. But every tree will drop lower branches. Those branches died a few years ago as evidenced by the collar growing around the dead. Worth noting, it is possible that those were killed by DED and the tree successfully walled it off. Technically, a tree killed by many of the vascular wilts "killed itself" as it shuts down "pipes" trying to contain the spread. Think of emergency doors in a submarine. Each one is shut trying to stop movement. The problem is the whole tree doesn't "know" that is happening. Cells in a small area are reacting to the invader thinking they are saving the whole tree by "shutting the doors". SOMETIMES that is successful. Moreso in Slippery elm than American elm.
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I appreciate the responses and info. I was able to look more closely at the tree today. I peeled the bark off of a couple of twigs and didn't notice anything. Then I did notice insect galleries on several branches that were dead (many that are high in the tree). From the researching that I'm doing, that could be an indicator that the tree does have DED since beetles are the carriers of the fungus. So the tree had yellowing and wilting leaves during the spring and summer, numerous branches that are dying and insect galleries. I'm extremely new to all of this so if any of you see something differently, please let me know. 
ATH
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Findlay, Ohio
there are often gonna be insect galleries in dead branches. elm bark beetle is pretty unique:
I would say your pics make me think something else besides DED.
I would say your pics make me think something else besides DED.
KTSmith
Branched out member
- Location
- Maine, New Hampshire
I don't see anything convincing for DED. ATH's post shows the classic DED beetle vector galleries. As for the vascular (wood) discoloration, to see that usually requires actual splits or cross-sections, not just the appearance of outermost wood beneath the bark.
treevet
Branched out member
- Location
- Cincinnati, Ohio
Kevin, I disagree that elm flagging is not diagnostic. A diagnostic process is the sum of all the parts prior to lab verification. Elms flagging yellow under normal growing conditions usually in late June here and nearby A. elms apparently diseased and dead and dying and galleries and wilting etc etc all part of the early obvious symptoms that make one react in the right direction for further investigation if not only for opting for treatments to nearby healthier important subjects.
I also disagree with the treatments in advanced prostate cancer. While one might be successful with them ...if you are not you no longer have the option to go back and have the prostate removed and related plumbing hooked up. I had mine removed. But I am certainly happy you have recovered and are doing well.
How does one get notifications of replying posts by email?
ATH
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Findlay, Ohio
or is it elm yellows?
treevet
Branched out member
- Location
- Cincinnati, Ohio
^ One direction to explore. Either way likely a death warrant. But the exploration would warrant culturing and protecting of other valued trees asap. If Ash yellows was more thoroughly explored rather than just being assumed then EAB would not have gotten so fatally entrenched prior to being able to treat many valued specimens or groupings of ash and save their lives as treatments do, as we all know, work.
Reach
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Atglen, PA
At the top of the page, right above where the thread begins, should be a button the says “Watch”, tap that button and you can select an option to allow email notifications.
If that is already selected, or the emails don’t show up, check your spam folder. I’ve had TreeBuzz emails go there in the past.
treevet
Branched out member
- Location
- Cincinnati, Ohio
Thanks Reach.
