Horse Chesnut disease

[Dunkield]

Having just walked past one on the dog walk, have any of you noticed horse chesnut's with brown or yellow leaves round your way? apparently it is fatal disease and could wipe them out in the same way Dutch Elm did it for the Elms.

 

Quote:

 

British and Dutch researchers say a new tree disease is attacking horse chestnuts trees -- striking some 40,000 trees in Britain last year.

 

After a hint of yellow in the leaves one summer, the whole tree dies within the year. Tree pathologists thought the disease was related to a Phytophthora fungus commonly called sudden oak death, the Times of London reported Friday.

 

" Now we realize it's something different, " said Clive Brasier, of Forest Research, part of the British Forestry Commission. "We don't know what it is. It's more aggressive and it's being found all over the country.

 

Several large horse chestnut tees have died neat Marble Hill Park in London, near Bushey Hill Park where four colonnades of horse chestnut trees range above the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain.

 

Dutch scientists have been trying to isolate the cause of the disease.

[il cacciatore]

Kids arent allowed to play conkers anymore due to health and safety reasons, unless they wear safety goggles and protective gloves. Up my way the council cut down several trees incase the children climbed up them and hurt themselves.

 

oh well.

[Quist]

I'm keeping an eye on mine

[Pedro]

I'll ask Mrs. P. She lectures in arboriculture.

 

P.

[Pedro]

Apparently this disease is caused by something called a leaf miner moth. She said that it weakens the tree and that this is what causes the problems.

It's come in from the Balkans, (another unwelcome visitor from Eastern Europe ), and at the moment there's not a lot you can do about it.

 

P.