Dutch Elm Disease Treatment

Dutch Elm Disease has devastated many American Elm trees in the Minnesota region for decades now. It is a fungal infection spread by Elm Bark Beetles or root grafts and can damage the trees profoundly if not treated correctly.

Dutch Elm Disease damages the water-conducting cells of the tree. The tree’s natural response to the damage caused by the invasive fungus, inexplicably, increases the damage done to the water-conducting cells. During the initial stages of an infection, the damage takes place inside the tree, without any external signs of disease. The first outwardly visible symptoms will not appear until the internal damage is severe enough to restrict the flow of water and nutrients to portions of the tree.

If you think your trees are suffering from Dutch Elm Disease, it’s imperative to get professional advice as soon as possible to limit the extent of damage caused to your yard. Be on the lookout for the first hint of any of these early symptoms.

Identifying Dutch Elm Disease

Dutch Elm Disease, while challenging to spot during the initial stage, can still be identified if you keep an eye out for some of the warning signs. 

Browning/Wilting Leaves

When water and nutrients are cut off from reaching all parts of the trees, the affected sections will wilt and curl inwards. The leaves will go from green to yellow suddenly, and finally brown before falling from the tree. If your elm tree is displaying patches of yellow or brown leaves, it may be a sign of Dutch Elm Disease and you should get your tree checked out by one of our experienced plant health care specialists.

Dead Branches

Once the leaves are affected and start falling off the tree, the branches begin to show symptoms of infestation. A tree with sparse patches where branches are no longer producing leaves, or branches have died and fallen from the tree, should be analyzed for Dutch Elm Disease.

Dark Streaks Within Branches

Browning and dying leaves, and patches of affected branches are symptoms that can pertain to many different tree diseases. However, dark streaks on the inner portion of the tree branch, beneath the bark, are highly definitive signs that your tree might be suffering from Dutch Elm Disease. You will have to remove the bark to check for the presence of dark streaks. Though the presence of streaks is highly indicative of Dutch Elm Disease, the streaks will need to be tested by a tree pathologist for confirmation.

If you think your trees are suffering from Dutch Elm Disease, contact us and our team will be happy to send over a custom quote for your tree treatment. 

Our Dutch Elm Disease Treatment Options

Dutch elm disease does irreversible damage to trees, but there are ways to limit the infection from spreading. At Birch Tree Care, our team of skilled arborists and technicians provide the following treatment options to effectively halt the spread of the damage by eliminating the Elm Bark beetle that spreads the fungus.

Removal Of Dead And Dying Branches

It’s important to be vigilant about dead and dying branches. Our qualified arborists will remove suspect branches immediately to eliminate breeding spots for Elm Bark beetles. Another treatment method we provide is topical insecticides. 

The success of insecticide treatment hinges on the correct identification of the type of Elm Bark beetle causing the infection. Native Elm Bark beetle infestations require insecticide treatment applied to the tree’s lower stems at the end of summer, while European Elm Bark beetle infestations require insecticide treatment of the tree’s crown in the spring. Our plant health care specialists have been working with Elm trees for decades and know exactly how to identify the type of insecticide treatment your trees require. 

Sever Root Grafts

Elm trees in close proximity to one another form root grafts when the roots of one tree fuse with the roots of the neighboring tree. If one of the trees gets infected with the Dutch elm disease fungus, the grafts form a gateway for the fungi to spread and infect surrounding trees. If an infected tree is grafted to a healthy tree, the root graft must be severed before the removal of the dying tree. If the graft is intact when the dying tree is removed the healthy tree will immediately pull in the fluids of the dying tree through the grafted roots. Our arborists have the right equipment and skills needed to get the job done. 

Fungicide Root Injections

Fungicides injected directly into the tree’s root system allows the treatment to spread through the entire tree by its own vascular system. This is proven to be one of the most effective methods of eliminating Dutch elm disease and preventing the dissemination of the infection and the extent of damage caused. When applied by our plant health care specialists before the tree has sustained a life-threatening degree of damage, fungicidal injections offer the best chance of saving the tree.

Dutch Elm Disease Treatment Trimming

Prevention of Dutch elm disease starts by keeping elm trees healthy. Our arborists make it a point to prune and trim all dead wood that provides beetle habitat. This helps limit the risk of infection to the tree. Leave it up to our team to clean up after themselves - all the pruned branches are disposed of properly by being chipped, burned, or buried promptly. 

Areas We Offer Dutch Elm Disease Treatment

Birch Tree Care is your local tree care company offering plant health care services to treat Dutch elm disease in residential and commercial properties in and around the Minneapolis and St. Paul area. Give us a call at 651.504.0533 for more information on our service options in your neighborhood. 

Dutch Elm Disease Treatment Customer Reviews

Why Choose Birch Tree Care

Birch Tree Care’s certified arborists have the knowledge and expertise needed to help you protect your trees from destructive diseases like Dutch Elm Disease. Contact us for a free consult and let our experts help you with a Dutch Elm Disease treatment plan to save your trees and prevent infection of other healthy trees. 

Trust us when we say you’re in good hands. Our arborists and plant health care technicians have years of training and experience, and use special equipment and treatment methods to make sure the job gets done safely and efficiently. Leave it up to us to keep your trees healthy and happy. 

Dutch Elm Disease FAQs