A&A Artists and Arborists

We know trees and shrubs

A&A's trained arborists are experts in maintaining your trees and shrubs professionally. Our arborists are trained and licensed.

All trees require expert care - proper pruning, cabling, bracing. The life of a tree can be extended, its beauty enhanced and your property value increased.

Tree Disease - Anthracnose

Scientific Name: Apiognomonia spp.

Anthracnose is a fungal disease that infects ash, oak, maple, and sycamore trees growing in Minnesota. The fungus causes dead blotches on the leaves that disrupts photosynthesis and transpiration which can eventually lead to spring leaf drop. As leaves mature they become less susceptible to the pathogen. Repeat defoliation by anthracnose can reduce tree health.

Tree Disease - Apple Scab

Scientific Name: Venturia inequalis

Apple Scab is a fungal disease that infects apple trees causing lesions on the leaves and fruit. These lesions can also infect stems, resulting in dieback. Most apple cultivars are susceptible to scab and will require fungicidal sprays to prevent the disease. The disease rarely kills its host but causes unsightly defoliation. The pathogen overwinters primarily in infected leaves on the ground.

Tree Disease - Armillaria Root Rot

Scientific Name: Armillaria ostoyae

Armillaria is a root rot fungus also called stringy butt rot or white root rot. As its name suggests, the fungus creates mycelial threads that appear on infected tissue like strings. These structures are called rhizomorphs and can grow, under soil, to distances of up to ten feet. Armillaria may live for decades on its host plant and can infect healthy trees through root contact. Vigorously growing trees are less susceptible to infection. This is a pathogenic organism causing mortality, wood decay and growth reduction.

Tree Disease - Cankers

Cankers are dead areas of bark that are located on the trunk, branches or twigs of a tree. Cankers are caused by numerous species of fungi that infect stressed or wounded trees, killing the living bark. Characterized by discoloration, oozing sap, and sunken areas, cankers are some of the most difficult disease problems to manage.

Tree Disease - Cedar-Hawthorn Rust

Scientific Name: Gymnosporangium globosum

Cedar-Hawthorn Rust as its name indicates is a disease of two urban landscape trees. The disease has two life stages, one which occurs as rust spots on foliage and fruit of hawthorn and one that creates galls on juniper. The disease can be quite devastating to the appearance and health of hawthorn and treatment on this host is necessary to prevent infection. On juniper the galls may be unsightly when the orange spores are oozing out, but otherwise they can be easily removed from the infected trees.

Tree Disease - Cytospora Cankers

Scientific Name: Cytospora kunzei var. piceae

Cytospora cankers will infect many tree species, however the most common Cytospora in Minnesota primarily infects Colorado Blue Spruce. In locations where high humidity occurs, it is a very destructive disease that can kill mature Colorado spruce. Most trees are infected and begin to show symptoms after they are established (>15 years). The most effective management is to reduce environmental conditions that stress the tree and to reduce the moisture conditions that increase the spread of the disease.

Tree Disease - Diplodia Shoot Blight and Canker

Scientific Name: Diplodia sapinea

Diplodia is a fungus that will survive in new candles of conifers and will eventually infect the main stem of the tree. While it is in the candles, at the “blight stage” it can be controlled through the continuous use of fungicides over a period of several years. .

Tree Disease - Dutch Elm Disease

Dutch Elm Disease is caused by an aggressive fungus (Ophiostoma-ulmi) that kills elms regardless of their health. It is considered the most costly shade tree disease ever and will remain active in a community as long as there are susceptible trees. The fungus invades the water transporting vessels and produces toxins to which the tree reacts. In defense to the toxins the tree produces gums and internal growths designed to block the advance of the fungus. The combination of the toxins and the defense mechanisms of the tree inhibit water flow to the crown, which causes wilting and tree death.

Tree Disease - Oak Wilt

Oak wilt is a lethal disease caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fagacearum. The fungus invades and disables the water-conducting system in white, red and other oak species. Different species of oaks vary in susceptibility to the disease. Red oaks typically die within 4 to 6 weeks of initial symptom development, while white oaks may survive or take 1 to 6 months to defoliate and die

Tree Disease - Rhizosphaera Needle Cast

Scientific Name: Rhizosphaera kalkhoffi

Rhizosphaera needle cast is a foliage disease of spruce trees. It causes significant damage to trees growing outside of their native range. Older, inner needles show symptoms first. As the disease progresses, newer needles will exhibit symptoms. Infected needles first appear mottled or speckled with dull yellowish blotches. Later, the needles turn brown to purplish brown. The needles are dropped (cast) anywhere from 3 –15 months after infection depending on the variety of spruce infected. Branches begin dying if they are defoliated in 3-4 consecutive years. Larger trees may become so disfigured that they lose all of their ornamental value.