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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
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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
 
Its unsightly, relatively harmless to the tree and theres 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, its nothing
to worry about. Its called tar spots, Amos noted, a fungal disease that
marks certain trees. It doesnt 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 havent
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. Theres absolutely nothing you can do, 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.

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