Safe Practices Handling Storm Damaged Trees
Summertime is here in the Midwest which means thunderstorms and the potential for severe weather. Severe weather and trees are a bad combination, in many cases resulting in damage to the tree as well as surrounding structures or other targets. Summer can be of heightened risk as our deciduous trees have all their leaves, which […]
PHC on the Lookout – Why is my Tree Yellow and it’s not the Fall Season?
The Plant Health Care Department has received many calls this spring regarding yellow leaves on trees. This is often determined to be chlorosis, which is when the leaf tissue yellows due to a lack of chlorophyll. There are many factors that contribute to chlorotic symptoms in Chicago area trees. The most common factor is a […]
Tip of the Week – Ticks on the Rise in 2017
Warm weather early this year and a mild winter in North Central Illinois has created the ideal situation for an increase in ticks this year. There has been a rise in sighting reports and there is no sign this will change anytime soon. It’s important to be aware of this when visiting wooded and tall […]
PHC on the Lookout – Boxwood Blight Hits the Area
A devastating fungal disease, boxwood blight has made its way into Illinois. First identified and confirmed in the United States in 2011, boxwood blight remained concentrated in the eastern part of the country for many years. There have now been cases identified in Missouri, Ohio and Illinois. As the name states, boxwood blight affects boxwood […]
Tip of the Week – Choosing the Perfect Christmas Tree
Tinsel, lights, ornaments and candy canes are all wonderful Christmas tree decorating tools. But no matter how you decorate your live Christmas tree, it’s important to start with a tree that fits your space and needs. For many families, the tradition of selecting a Christmas tree is an exciting part of the holiday season. Many […]
Tip of the Week – Just in time for Halloween, Boxelder Bugs have returned!
While it may seem like a scene from a horror movie, mounds of writhing black and red insects appearing in early fall are actually an indication of a boxelder bug infestation. But there’s no reason to scream in fright, the boxelder bug does not actually harm the areas they congregate and because it may be […]
Celebrate OAKtober!
The mighty oak tree is featured during the month of October, which in 2015, was proclaimed as Oak Awareness Month in Illinois. The focus on oak trees comes as a result of their decline in the state of Illinois. At one point in history, oak trees comprised 60% of the tree canopy in the Chicago […]
Tip of the Week – Take a Trip to see the Oldest Known Tree in Illinois
What is it like to live over 1,000 years? A Bald Cypress tree in southern Illinois knows the answer to that question. The Cache River in southern Illinois is home to a Bald Cypress tree that is over 1,000 years old. In the midst of the swamp rises a majestic, storm-battered tree that has lived […]
PHC on the Lookout – Maple Bladder Galls
There are thousands of types of galls produced on a variety of trees, including Maples, Oaks, Hackberry and Spruce.95% of galls are formed by different parasitic insects, usually microscopic or very small in size. Galls develop when the plant tissue is irritated. It’s believed that the parasitic insect produces a plant-growth-regulating chemical that deforms the […]
PHC on the Lookout – Got Scale?
Scale insects are a large family that feed on a wide range of host plants and have many different appearances. Scale is usually divided into two categories: armored and soft body scale. Armored scale insects, in the adult stage, have a hard outer cover that makes treatment timing critical. All scale insects have a series […]