It was first noticed in Ohio in 2012, but a disease that's ravaging beech trees — both American and European cultivars — is now spreading in the Midwest, throughout New England, and also into some of the mid-Atlantic states. Called Beech Leaf Disease, it's caused by a foliar nematode. a microscopic worm. In spring, affected trees sport leaves with noticable dark bands and buds that fall off. The leaves eventually wither and die, and the trees themselves succumb within several years.
Scientists have not yet found an effective treatment to combat the disease, and it is spreading rapidly, attacking both saplings and mature trees. If you notice beech trees in your neighborhood that appear to be struggling, report it immediately to your state's forest service.
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