Aphid attack
You are outside relaxing in your garden when you notice there is something strange going on with a tree in your yard. There’s a white fuzz on the tree branches that weren’t there when you last checked. What is this white fuzz? Is the white fuzz on my tree branches aphids or mold? Should I be worried?
Aphids on a plant stem
One reason for the white fuzz covering on a tree could be that aphids have arrived. These insects are around two millimeters long and pink-brown and approximately two millimeters long. They live by sucking on the sap of the tree which they then discharge as the fuzzy, white layer that looks so weird.
An aphid colony can create discolored or stunted leaf growth. The good news, however, is that eliminating these bugs is pretty straightforward. A tree filled with aphids is not usually a cause for real concern if the issue is resolved quickly. Just hose the tree with water every day to get rid of the aphids. After a few days, they will be gone.
Post-rain mold
Another reason for having white fuzz on the branches could be wet conditions. Powdery mold is a powdery fuzz fungal disease that can halt the opening of buds and make leaves fall prematurely and turn brown.
It’s possible to manage this fungus with spraying water from a hose which ultimately eliminates the condition. Applying neem oil is also efficient in extinguishing this post-wet tree condition.
Prevention
There are a few other precautions you could take to stop seeing fuzz on your trees. Fungicides are available to safeguard a tree against the appearance of any condition.
However, if you aren’t sure you can save your tree from more damage, it’s worth contacting a Tampa tree specialist who can assess the problem quickly and suggest a remedy for optimal tree health and protection. The last thing you want to do is to request tree removal service when you could have just as easily saved your tree with effective tree treatments.
This why it pays to get professional advice from a tree service company when it comes to making decisions about the welfare of your trees.
