Plant Health Alert – Pink Disease in Landscape Plants

Find this article at:
go.ncsu.edu/readext?1064267
— Written By
en Español / em Português
Español

El inglés es el idioma de control de esta página. En la medida en que haya algún conflicto entre la traducción al inglés y la traducción, el inglés prevalece.

Al hacer clic en el enlace de traducción se activa un servicio de traducción gratuito para convertir la página al español. Al igual que con cualquier traducción por Internet, la conversión no es sensible al contexto y puede que no traduzca el texto en su significado original. NC State Extension no garantiza la exactitud del texto traducido. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que algunas aplicaciones y/o servicios pueden no funcionar como se espera cuando se traducen.

Português

Inglês é o idioma de controle desta página. Na medida que haja algum conflito entre o texto original em Inglês e a tradução, o Inglês prevalece.

Ao clicar no link de tradução, um serviço gratuito de tradução será ativado para converter a página para o Português. Como em qualquer tradução pela internet, a conversão não é sensivel ao contexto e pode não ocorrer a tradução para o significado orginal. O serviço de Extensão da Carolina do Norte (NC State Extension) não garante a exatidão do texto traduzido. Por favor, observe que algumas funções ou serviços podem não funcionar como esperado após a tradução.

English

English is the controlling language of this page. To the extent there is any conflict between the English text and the translation, English controls.

Clicking on the translation link activates a free translation service to convert the page to Spanish. As with any Internet translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not translate the text to its original meaning. NC State Extension does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Please note that some applications and/or services may not function as expected when translated.

Collapse ▲
This spring we are getting an alarming number of reports of limbs dying in shrubs and trees. Hollies, cherry laurels, magnolias and other shrubs are exhibiting dying branches. Maples and redbuds are also being affected. Occasional dying branches are not unusual. However the level of damage we are seeing is concerning.
bot canker redbud
What kills limbs? Anything that cuts the water supply to a stem can causes the limb to die. Any physical restriction such as an object wrapped around a stem can eventually girdle stems. Chewing by animals or insects can also girdle stems. Fungal infections can also cut off the flow of water up stems killing them. In the cases we are seeing now we think that we are dealing with a serious fungal disease.
bot canker redbud
Fungal infections – Fungal infections can enter a cracked stem and girdle the stem, killing it. Cracked stems can result from environmental extremes such as severe cold or high winds. The swollen cracked area on the stem that results from a fungal infection is called a ‘canker’. I suspect that in many cases the damage we are seeing is a stem girdling canker fungus.
Cherry laurels dying

Cherry laurels dying

‘Pink disease’ – Bartlett Tree Experts in Brevard, NC was first to note that a ‘pink disease’ (likely referring to Erythricium salmonicola) has been causing cankers in trees and shrubs in Western NC. As with any disease it’s important to take action to prevent further spread by avoiding stem damage and by pruning out infected stems. Symptoms include stem and branch cankers, gum exudation, and swelling or sunken areas on the main stem and branches, as well as cracking or splitting bark and dieback. 
pink disease close up

This ‘Pink disease’ close up shows the pinkish webbing that forms on infected limbs.

What can you do? Inspect the dying limbs and see if the stem is swollen and cracked. If so, it is a canker and you should prune the limb all the way past the canker. Fungicides are impractical in this situation.

holly limb death

Winter 2025 we are seeing holly limb death.

cherry laurel

cherry laurel

canker on magnolia

share Share This Article