Verticillium Wilt is a very common fungal ailment in shade trees. It manifests itself by wilting the leaves and killing portions of the crown. In Southern Illinois it seems to hit the maples more than any other type of tree.
This is a shot taken from a
USFS website with photos of plant diseases. The infection is easy to see.
Verticillium wilt is in the soil just waiting for the opportunity to infect your plants, and maples are easy victims because of their thin bark, and their tendency to have roots exposed to mower damage. Homeowners could prevent most infections by being careful not to wound their trees, and by covering exposed roots with a bit of soil before mowing.
This tree is in a high traffic area with literally hundreds of human targets, so it needs to be removed as soon as possible. The points you need to note are: don't wound your trees while doing yard work, and notice these problems early so you can plant your replacement trees well ahead of removals. This particular tree should have had a replacement planted ten or fifteen years ago, but the problems were ignored.
This is a shot taken from a USFS website with photos of plant diseases. The infection is easy to see.
Verticillium wilt is in the soil just waiting for the opportunity to infect your plants, and maples are easy victims because of their thin bark, and their tendency to have roots exposed to mower damage. Homeowners could prevent most infections by being careful not to wound their trees, and by covering exposed roots with a bit of soil before mowing.
This tree is in a high traffic area with literally hundreds of human targets, so it needs to be removed as soon as possible. The points you need to note are: don't wound your trees while doing yard work, and notice these problems early so you can plant your replacement trees well ahead of removals. This particular tree should have had a replacement planted ten or fifteen years ago, but the problems were ignored.
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