All redwoods (Sequoia, Sequoiadendron, Metasequoia) are susceptible to this disease reported in California and Virginia.

 Cool, damp, spring weather favors spread of spores and their germination. Hot, dry weather favors internal growth of fungus in leaf and twig tissues, hastening girdling of twigs and browning of infected portions. Phosphorus deficiency increases susceptibility of tree to infection. Trees grown out of native environment are most susceptible.

Symptoms include, needles with purple, circular or oval spots, expanding to cover entire needle, which becomes brown. Purplish brown spots at base of needle or at needle scale, becoming cankers which eventually girdle the twig. Tiny black stromata, containing perithecia or pycnidia are evident in discolored areas. Numerous cankers may develop on the twig. Once the twig is girdled, the entire distal portion dies and needles turn brown.

 Spores are spread from infected leaves or twigs on live trees by rain or drip splash, during early, wet spring rains or fog. They are also dispersed by wind. Spores can penetrate the needles through stomata. Twig canker results from movement of the fungus through the leaf to the twig. Heat stress weakens resistance of tree to movement by the fungus. Overwintering in vegetative (mycelial) stage in infected tissues on the tree or in ground duff.

Agrilus anxius (beetle)
Their Larvae are nearly white with enlarged region just behind the head, tail segment terminates in 2 brown spines. The Adults are deep green-bronze, female about 1/2 in. long, male smaller.

Various birches, paper and yellow preferred are host trees. They are found in the United States Northeast, The Lake States, Northern mid-western States, and the Northwest States

Injury Is caused when the larvae produce feeding galleries which girdle the trees trunk or branches. Additional cambium is damaged. Infested trees are chlorotic with sparse foliage in the upper crown. Twig dieback follows with eventual death of tree.

Poor site choice, drought, malnutrition, wounding, root impaction are contributing factors.
The Larvae overwinter in the xylem between summer wood and the bark. In the spring immature larvae complete development and pupate. Adult beetles emerge during a 6 week period beginning in late June; eggs are laid in crevices beneath outer layers of bark; attacks preferred at mechanical injuries. Eggs soon hatch and the larvae bore into the cambium to feed, remaining there for 1-2 years.

Phryganadia californica (moth)

The Adults are approximately 1/2 in. long; wings light brown with darker veins and spread about 1 1/4 in. Males with yellow patches near center of forehead, and antennae broader and more feathery. Moths fly mostly at dusk.

Eggs are laid on the undersides of leaves, usually in clusters of 2-40; round, fresh eggs are white and later, near hatching, with red centers. May be laid on bark, or on buildings and fences.

The larvae are very small upon hatching; sixth instar about 1 1/4 in. long, dark olive green with black and yellow longitudinal stripes on back and sides. Young larvae, with oversized heads, feed by removing only one surface of the leaf. The third or fourth instars feed completely through leaves and exfoliate the tree. The larvae hang on silk strands from leaves.

The pupae develop on all parts of oaks or other trees nearby, fences, buildings, other convenient objects. Red brown with brown and tan longitudinal stripes on rear. Adults emerge mostly in May, June and July.

Hosts include all oaks in varying degrees and are found throughout the United States: California favoring 30⁰ Degree days (at 65⁰ F.).

Leaves brown from feeding by young larvae; large areas of young leaves chewed by older larvae, defoliating growing tips. Severe infestations defoliate entire sections or the entire crown, especially in the San Francisco Bay area. Repeated annual defoliation may kill some trees. Live oaks are more seriously damaged than others since eggs and pupae drop to ground from deciduous species. Young larvae hanging from silk threads, frass, and falling excrement are nuisances around pools and patios.

Two complete generations except in southern California, where there may be a third. Overwintering usually by eggs, but there also may be young larvae. Larval stage usually less than one month. Adults emerge between May and July. Second generation of adults in late September.

Malacosma californica (moth),
Adult bodies are light brown, about 1/8 in. across. Forewings with two dark, oblique bands near center. Their eggs are laid in summer, encircling twigs with dark cementing substance; hatch the following spring and their larvae appear soon after first leaves begin to expand in spring. Body orange-brown with blue dots along each side of center; heavily coated with reddish-brown hairs. Construct tents of silk webbing around twig tips from which they forage for about 6 weeks. Tents enlarge as larvae grow. Mature caterpillarsare about 3/16 in. long. The pupae are formed within a heavy, silk-lined cocoon usually attached between bark crevices or in leaves webbed together. This process lasts approximately one month.

 Oaks (Quercus agrifolia a favorite), madrone, redbud, hazel, ash, California holly, poplar, apple, almond, apricot, cherry, prune, plum, California coffeeberry, currant, and willow are favored hosts and are found throughout the United States: California. Favored by 30 degree days (at 65°F.). Cyclic, but related factors not understood. Webbing of branch terminals, chewing and exfoliation of terminal leaves. Heavy defoliation sometimes results, but resulting damage is of little importance since trees recover readily, especially if fertilized.

A single generation each year. Overwintering by eggs. Larvae hatch in early spring as new leaves unfold. Webs constructed by hatching larvae and grow with the larvae through 6 instars. Pupation in mid-summer, lasting about a month. Emerging adults mate and lay eggs in late August or September. Adults cluster around lights at night.

Phleosinus sp. (beetle)

The Larvae are small, white, narrow, short, segmented. Adults are Red-brown to black, shiny, ranging from 1/8-3/8 in. long; rows of teeth at rear of front wings; antennae 5-jointed clubs with oblique depressions. Their Egg galleries are short, longitudinal with little or no branching, becoming confused with heavy infestations, arising from single entrance hole; larval chambers extend laterally.

All species of Cedrus, Chamaecyparis, Cryptomeria, Cupressus, Juniperus, Libocedrus, Sequoia, Sequoiadendron, Taxodium, and Thuja are hosts and are found in the throughout the United States and Canada.

Poor sites, drought, nutritional deficiencies, wounding, and root impaction all contibute.

Twigs yellowing, browning, wilting at tips and hanging; egg and larval galleries immediately under bark; small droplets of pitch below feeding areas on twigs and stems on some species. Host trees usually weak on poor sites or under stress. Trees killed by infestations.
Adults attack all upper parts of weak, dying or dead trees, or broken branches. Prior to constructing egg galleries, adults feed on healthy twigs, hollowing them out until they break over. Egg burrows made by adults working in pairs. Eggs uniformly spaced along sides of burrows. Larvae feed laterally from one egg gallery. Attacks in spring and summer, with 1 1/2 generations per year.

Cedar Leaf Blight, Cedar Twig Blight, Berckman’s Blight Coryneum berckmanii, C. thujina (fungus), Seridium cardinale   (Leyland cypress)

Effects Oriental arborvitae, Italian and Monterey and Leyland cypress.
Found in the Western Coastal U.S.
Contrubuting factors include; Rain or foggy, cool weather or infested pruning tools.
The Blight on Small branches become reddish-brown, many dropping; larger limbs girdled. Twigs with black pustules of fruiting structures (acervuli). Foliage becoming gray. Dead twigs become entangled at base of tree.

The Cankers on twigs and branches girdled, with cankers first appearing on lateral twigs; slightly sunken, dark, resinous, rough, with black spore pustules. Yellowing and browning of foliage with gummy ooze at cankers.
Infection is first evident in upper part of tree during moist spring. Following initial infection, acervuli produce spores which drop to lower branches or are spread in windblown rain and fog or by birds and insects. Repeated infection leads to death of tree.

Cypress Cedar Branch Canker
Seridium cardinale   (Leyland cypress)
As with Monterey cypress, disease development on Leyland cypress has been closely tied with hot, dry summer weather.

The most noticeable symptom of Seridium canker is yellowing or browning of the foliage on one or more top or lateral branches.  This discoloration may appear at any time of the year but is most likely to be seen in the spring. Disease development often continues until a considerable portion of the tree is killed.

Girdling cankers form on the twigs, the scaffold branches, and the main trunk, and then the foliage dies.

The spores are spread to healthy foliage and branches of adjacent Leyland cypress by splashing water and contaminated pruning tools.

Now known as,
Dothiorella ulmi   (imperfect fungus)

Common to American elms. Occasionally on slippery and Siberian elms located in central and eastern United States.

Wounding, insect punctures, pruning, compacted soil, drought, malnutrition, overhead irrigation, climbing spurs all add to infections.

 The foliage yellows and wilts in scattered portions of crown with wilt becoming generalized throughout, followed by gradual dieback. Outer rings of wood have brown discoloration. Elliptical cankers on stems with small black specks of spore bodies (pycnidia). In wet weather, sticky spore masses accumulate around wounds or on leaves. Wilt symptoms resemble those caused by other wilt fungi. Laboratory isolation is necessary for positive diagnosis and identification.

There are sticky spore masses on leaves or twigs spread by wind, rain, overhead irrigation, and pruning. Infection usually through wounds on leaves, but may enter through stem wounds. The fungus moves down leaf petioles into twigs, entering and plugging vessels. Cankers develop around such infection sites. New pycnidia develop during summer and autumn, releasing spores during spring rains.

Ceratocystis fimbriata (fungus)

Trees affected include Alder, aspen, magnolia, maple, mulberry, sweet gum, and sycamore.

Found throughout United States and southern Canada.

Poor sites, wounding, nutrient abnormalities, spring moisture contibute.

There are sunken or flattened, lens-shaped canker at base of petiole or needle scars, causing a crook in twigs, wilting above the canker; leaves sparse, yellowing, stunted and dieback. Stem infection with black spots in bark and surrounding sticky cankers, with dark staining around cankers. Bark may slough and crack, especially on sycamore. Inner bark with red-brown to blue-black discoloration. May be fatal.

The Perithecia develop at bases of petioles due to infection of leaves. Fungus may move down into stem or concentrate around stem wounds. Sticky ascospores develop during moist spring weather and are released to produce new infections. Spores are airborne or carried by insects and pruning tools.

Ceratocystis fagacearum (fungus)

Most species of oak including red oak, white oak, live oak, Shumard oak, Spanish oak, water oak, black jack oak.

Found Throughout the United States: Midwest, from Texas to Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and possibly more.

Infected adjacent oak trees (within 50 feet), root grafts, insects, oak firewood storage or infected oak mulch.

Symptoms vary depending on geographic location and host tree. For example, in the red oak group, affected trees initially show a bronzing or wilting of leaves on an individual branch or in a portion of the tree’s crown. Leaves exhibit a “half-leaf” symptom, where the outer half of the leaf scorches and turns red or brown, while the inner half of the leaf (nearest the petiole) remains green. The fungus will sometimes cause a brown streaking of the sapwood. Within a few weeks, the wilted leaves begin to drop. Wilting spreads throughout the tree canopy during the summer. Most oaks in this group are killed in one season. The white oak group has a greater resistance and may often recover. Live oak appear to be intermediate in resistance.

At the time of wilting, C. fagacearum is present throughout the symptomatic part of the tree and in the roots. Ceratocystis fagacearum may remain alive until the next year in the trunk, and up to four years in the roots, initially growing both toward the inner sapwood and outward to the cambial region and inner bark. Pathogens can spread to adjacent trees by root grafts. Long distance spread can occur from beetle feeding.