Some Iowa homeowners may notice the leaves on certain trees are turning yellow or brown and dropping earlier than usual this season. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, they could have a fungus called anthracnose, which thrives in wet conditions, like some parts of Iowa have seen this summer. The disease is affecting black walnut trees at an unusually high rate, but DNR forester Mark Vitosh says the fungus is -not- likely to impact a tree’s long-term health.
In addition to walnuts, anthracnose can impact sycamore, ash, maple, oak, walnut, linden, hickory, willows and other deciduous trees. Vitosh says spraying is unnecessary.
A caterpillar is also affecting walnuts in some parts of the state. That, too, is unlikely to cause long-term damage as trees are winding down their growing season. Vitosh made his comments on the Iowa Public Radio program “Talk of Iowa.”
