Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Wednesday - June 07, 2006

From: Coppell, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Diseases and Disorders
Title: Diagnosis of problems with Texas ash
Answered by: Joe Marcus and Dean Garrett

QUESTION:

Our 15 year old Texas ash has less leaf production this year. It also has a small amount of algae on the trunk, and some of the branches have small white spots on it. Also, a few of the branches closest to the trunk have died. Any suggestion would be appreciated.

ANSWER:

Possibilities:

Fusicoccum Canker could cause branches to die and might be responsible for the white spots on the branches.

If by “algae” on the trunk you mean a fungus, a fungal rot like Varnish Fungus Rot or Sulfur Fungus Rot could be responsible; they can also cause limb death.

There are several foliar diseases of ashes that might have caused leaf loss, anthracnose being only the most common. It, however, has many symptoms that don't seem to match yours, based on your description.

This list of ash pests with diagnostic descriptions can help you match your symptoms with known ash diseases and get ideas about how to control them, and this discussion of White Ash contains an informative section toward the end about common diseases of that tree. Texas Ash (Fraxinus texana) is so closely related to White Ash (Fraxinus americana) that many taxonomists consider it to be just a variant of White Ash, so any information you find about White Ash will probably apply to your Texas Ash.

You might consider having your tree diagnosed by the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. You can contact your county office of the Texas Cooperative Extension to determine how to send a sample. Having an arborist look at your tree is another idea.
 

More Diseases and Disorders Questions

Small tan balls on oak from Pipe Creek TX
May 21, 2014 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, our spanish oak is growing tan colored lumpy balls about the size and weight of a marshmallow..sometimes just one at the end of a short stem and sometimes 2-3 clumped together....
view the full question and answer

Agarita and Mexican Buckeye not flowering or fruiting.
December 11, 2012 - The Greenbelt behind our home has a ton of agarita and Mexican buckeye, but they never bloom or berry. The pigeon berry is very happily doing both all year. Any suggestions for helping the agerita a...
view the full question and answer

Treatment of mealy bugs on house plants
April 19, 2005 - I have some house plants that have a "fungi" that has appeared and spread from one to the others. I believe it is killing the plants. It is a white fuzz the is sticky to the touch. when i whip it...
view the full question and answer

What's that sticky stuff on plants under many trees?
August 23, 2010 - Here in Austin, I've recently noticed a sticky film appearing on shrubs, flowers, grass, etc. under many trees. It appears to be coming from the trees under which they are planted. The sticky film ...
view the full question and answer

Red maple a casualty of Hurricane Ike in Houston
November 21, 2009 - We have a 3 year old Drummond Red Maple, between the sidewalk and the street in front of our house, that fell during Hurricane Ike. We replanted it. I recently noticed that the bark is severely cracke...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.