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We had occasion recently to do some walking around Berlin St in
peninsular Halifax. The number of affected leaves was remarkable - I would
say that the incidence among the street trees (all Norway Maples) is > 90%.
The one or two native Red Maples which we saw were, thankfully, unaffected.
Actually I had never noticed these "tar" spots before but perhaps it is an
annual occurrence.
There are also many Norway Maples planted as street trees in our area of
mainland Halifax (Clayton Park West) but none of these are affected, yet.
We recently attended a public forum which focussed on "The Urban Forest".
John Simmons, the HRM forester, indicated at that meeting that HRM has not
planted Norway Maples for many years and it is no longer on the list of
acceptable street trees. Presumably the damage has already been done!
As a short aside, one of our street trees was recently replaced in spring
2007 and the tag on it indicates that is Phellodendron amurense, a species
found in Asia. The common name is Amur Cork and in locations to the south
(New England) it appears to be a rather invasive species. One wonders how
decisions regarding 'acceptable" street tress are made? A dart-board.....?
Cheers (?),
Bob McDonald
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
To: "NatureNS" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Cc: "Ruth Newell" <ruth.newell@acadiau.ca>; "Laurel McIvor"
<mcivorll@gov.ns.ca>; "Melanie Priesnitz" <melanie.priesnitz@acadiau.ca>;
"Marian Munro" <ZinckMC@gov.ns.ca>; "Frances Anderson" <fanderso@glinx.com>;
"Troy McMullin" <Troymcmullin@Dal.ca>; "Karen Casselman"
<kldc@ns.sympatico.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 7:48 PM
Subject: [NatureNS] Tar spots mar Norway maples -- The Advertiser (King's
County), Tuesday, October 16, 2007
> I'd be interested to hear from you all about where else this fungus is
> being
> seen on Norway Maples (and other species?). For a nice photo, go to
> NovaNewsNow.com Web-site, choose the Advertiser icon, then search "tar
> spots" for the article and photo.
>
> Cheers from Jim in Wolfville
> ---------------
>
> from NovaNewsNow.com Web-site:
>
> The Advertiser (King's County), Tuesday, October 16, 2007
>
> Tar spots mar Norway maples
>
> by Brent Fox/The Advertiser
>
> View all articles from Brent Fox/The Advertiser
> Article online since October 13rd 2007, 9:45
> Be the first to comment this article
>
> PHOTO: This Norway maple illustrates the extent of the fungal infection,
> but
> horticulturalist Tim Amos says there's nothing anyone can do to stop it.
> Tar spots mar Norway maples
>
> BY BRENT FOX
> The Advertiser
> NovaNewsNow.com
>
> Itıs unsightly, relatively harmless to the tree and thereıs little you can
> do about it.
>
> You may have noticed the black spots on local Norway maples this year.
> Simply ugly, and it has a number of people worked up and worried for their
> trees.
>
> But Kingstec campus horticulture faculty member Tim Amos says, ³itıs
> nothing
> to worry about.² Itıs called Otar spots,ı Amos noted, a fungal disease
> that
> marks certain trees. It doesnıt really affect the infected trees and most
> trees are safe from it.
>
> One way to reduce the occurrences, he said, is to stop planting Norway
> maples and plant other, less susceptible species instead. The spots
> havenıt
> affected sugar maples and other more valued trees.
>
> The disease can be perpetuated through composting leaves. The fungus
> remains
> with the leaves and will bring it into a new season. But it also goes from
> tree-to-tree through the air. ³Thereıs absolutely nothing you can do,²
> Amos
> said. It may go away at times, he acknowledged, because it runs in cycles.
>
> And people have to decide which is more important; the value of leaves in
> compost or the increased potential of the fungus.
>
> A means of avoiding such a problem in the future, he noted, is to grow
> different species in your garden. A mono-species attitude leaves one wide
> open to having a whole yard affected by one disease.
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.12/1073 - Release Date:
> 10/16/2007 8:22 AM
>
>
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