How To Get Rid of Black Fungus on My Tree’s Trunk or Branches
There’s nothing quite like picking fresh fruit from trees and biting into it–savoring its sweetness. What’s not so sweet? Spotting a fuzzy fungus as you reach for your tasty treat.
Not only does a fruit tree fungus spoil an appetite, but it also sparks all kinds of questions about tree health. Cyndy W. from California asked, “It looks like it has a fungus growing on it, and I don't know how to treat it or if it will spread and I'll have to take the tree down. It is a white and hard growth on two different locations.”
Find out which fruit trees get infected with this fungus and learn whether treatment or tree removal is the best option.
Black Knot Fungus: What It Is and The Treatment…show more content… Black knot disease can look different, depending on the stage it's in.
What is this black fungus on my tree trunk or branch?
It’s likely black knot, which is a fungal disease that attacks fruit trees. In spring, a velvet-like green appears on branches. It gradually grows and becomes hard and black by fall, which is usually when you’ll spot it.
The following year, the fungus starts overtaking your tree. The chunky black growth gets larger, wraps around branches and may invade the tree’s trunk.
In some cases, older black knots will turn white or pink, like on Cyndy’s tree. But, more often than not you’ll be dealing with hard and lumpy black growth.
What trees get black knot fungus?
Primarily, this fungus goes after plum and cherry trees, especially American plum, purple-leafed plum, and chokecherry. It can affect other fruit trees, like apricot and peach, but it’s not as common.
Can you eat plums and fruit from trees with black knot?
Because the disease only affects the tree’s wood, it’s A-OK to eat fruit from trees with black knot. But as always, check that the fruit is fresh before digging
