Cedar Apple Rust (CAR)
A wind-borne fungal disease that bounces back and forth between red cedar trees and apple trees. Spores produced on the apple trees only affect cedar trees, and spores from the cedar trees only affect apple trees.
This disease occurs when cedar trees are close to apple trees but don’t have to be on the same property. They can even be as much as 4-5 miles apart.
Cedar Apple Rust Symptoms (on cedar trees)
On eastern red cedar trees (juniper), rust manifests as a fruiting body that looks like a nasty, rotten peach. It’s not harmful to the tree but will infect neighboring apple and crabapple trees. Many people find these tree growths to be unsightly.
Some of our customers have even had us remove them because they look so hideous.
Cedar Apple Rust Symptoms (on apple trees)
On apple trees, the rust presents with yellowish orange spots. Then in late summer, hair-like structures can appear on the underside of the leaf.
Cedar Apple Rust won’t kill your trees but will make your apples less edible. It’s also very treatable if you catch it in the early spring.
Cedar Apple Rust Treatment
Let’s assume you were more concerned about your apple trees than you were about your cedar trees.
Even if you were to eliminate all of the cedar trees on your property, your apple trees might still get infected. Spores in dead foliage on the ground and your neighbor’s property can travel up to 5 miles.
The best time to start fungicide treatment for cedar apple rust is in the early spring. If you’ve identified it mid-season, treatment will basically keep it from getting worse, but the only way to get rid of it is to treat it in the spring, followed by ongoing preventative maintenance.
When you’re on our tree and plant health care program, we’ll deal with your tree fungus.
Need Cedar Apple Rust Treatment?
It hurts when you see your tree in full vigor quickly decline and die. It doesn’t have to be that way. We can help save your trees and plants.
One of our experts can visit with you and quickly diagnose your plant and tree problems before the damage is irreversible.
Serving: Westchester County, NY • Putnam County, NY • Fairfield County, CT
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