Tree Articles

• Fire Blight Outbreak Affects Area Flowering Pears

  Caused by the bacterium, Erwinia amylovora, Fire Blight is a disease that primarily affects Pears, Apples, and....

• Drought and Heat May Have a Long-Lasting Effect on Urban Trees

  It may be a few years before we fully understand the impact of 2011 summer’s drought and heat on our urban forest.

• Heat, Drought, and Trees, Part I

  Given the current drought and associated water restrictions, important questions arise: How do drought and heat affect plants? How do you water and care for plants during an extended drought and the resulting water restrictions?

• Heat, Drought, and Trees, Part II

  Regardless of the moisture levels in the soil, extended daytime periods of 95 degrees and above slow the biological functions of plants.

• Cookie Walks Revisited

  A cookie walk is not a new dance step--nor is it a bake sale. Tree logs of various sizes can be cut into slices and placed on the ground to form cookie walks or stepping cookies.

• Tree Cookies. Tree Recycling - A Unique Way to Recycle Your Tree

  Within the forces of nature, from death comes life. As a tree dies in a natural forest condition, it provides many benefits to the ecosystem as it slowly rots, decays, and falls to the forest floor.

• Add These Conifers to Your Planting List

  Texas gardens are blessed to have a large variety of trees suited for our climate and soils. If there is one group of trees where we might be short-changed, it is the conifers. In the majority of the state, growing spruce, fir, and balsam is but a pipedream.

• What This Summer Reminded Me about Trees

  When asked to describe Texas weather, I can sum it up in one word: Extreme! This year proves the point—with record cold temperatures in February and unprecedented drought and high temperatures in July and August. Records have been broken day and night—literally.

• Oak Wilt...Facts and Fears, Part 4

  The balance of nature relies on a diversity of native tree/plant species as a natural defense against insects, pathogens and many other threats. By planting native tree species tolerant of Oak Wilt and diversifying the species we plant, we not only suppress various pathogens and insects, but we encourage a diversity of wildlife and habitat.

• Oak Wilt…Facts and Fears, Part 2

  An Oak Wilt diagnosis can be confirmed in a laboratory by isolating the fungus from diseased tissues. Taking tissue samples is not a simple process and should be left to someone with specific training and experience. Each step of the process must be done properly.

• Oak Wilt...Facts and Fears, Part 3

  In managing Oak Wilt, the when and how to prune is a “hot potato” issue that certainly requires clarification. Researchers and governmental agencies often develop disease-management recommendations based on what is best for the entire state.

• March 15th at the Trinity River Audubon Center

  Would you like to watch our team of experts climb big pecan trees? Then join us at..

• Why We Should Care About Trees

  Trees clean our air, water, and soil. They also add greatly to our health, sense of well being, quality of life, and our economic future in many ways.

• Sustainable Tree Planting

  Sustainability has many definitions. To the arborist, naturalist, and gardener, it means that we do not use a resource to the point that it has a negative consequence on future generations’ abilities to use the same resource. When applied to trees, sustainability means tree removals are a last resort.

• Oak Wilt - Facts and Fears

  In this article we explore Oak Wilt...Facts and Fears

• Mistletoe…Parasite or Treasure?

  Mistletoe is the common name for a parasitic flowering plant that grows attached to, and within, the vascular system of a tree or shrub. There are many different species of mistletoe...

• The Wonder that is Verdur®

  For some trees - it’s not easy to be green. Avid gardeners know that everything green starts with soil..

• Bur Oak - Could it be our best fast-growing shade tree?

  As an arborist, the question I am asked most frequently is, “What fast growing shade tree would you recommend for my landscape?” My answer..

• Mistletoe - Throw the bums out

  As the cooler fall weather moves in, you may begin to see one persistent pest that refuses to give up the green.

• Did You Know?..

  • Hoptree, Ptelea trifoliate, a member of the citrus family, is also known as the skunk bush by some because of the distinctive odor emitted when the leaves are crushed.• Since 1966, the National Christmas Tree Association has given a Chris...

• Pathologists Corner - Dormant Season

  Winter is upon us and many times our trees go without attention.  The dormant season is actually a very good time to prune many of our shade and ornamental trees.  One of the most obvious things we deal with this time of year is mistletoe.This p...

• Webworms: How They Can Affect Your Trees

  by Russell PetersThe female moth actually lays the eggs on the underside of the leaf in early May after the tree leafs out.  The larvae hatch and build a web for protection, then begin to consume the foliage.  The webs expand as the worms increase th...

• Oak Anthracnose.

  Oak Anthracnose. Oak Anthracnose - this disease infects the foliage of nearly all Oak species.

• Dangers of Over Pruning

  Over pruning is one of the worst and most common mistakes in tree maintenance. Why is it so common? There is a general lack of understanding about how a tree functions or a lack of current information about tree health. Unfortunately, myths often guide...

• Oak Wilt and the Injection Process

  Oak Wilt is a vascular wilt disease of Oak trees caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fagacearum. All species of Oaks are susceptible with some species being somewhat tolerant.

• Ganoderma

  A Significant Root Pathogen Ganoderma lucidum, the varnish fungus, is a pathogen that enters openings in root systems of many tree and shrub species. In our region, Red Oak, Cedar Elm, Pecan, Live Oak, Pears, and Photinia have all been reported to be ...

• Construction Injury to Trees

  New home construction and remodeling around existing trees can lead to serious damage and in many cases mortality of existing trees.There are a number of species which can only tolerate minor changes to the environment before they begin to decline ...

• The Benefits of Trees

  Trees provide a multitude of benefits. Unfortunately, much of the general public is not well informed on this topic. By increasing awareness of the benefits relating to trees, we can all utilize current scientific evidence to help resolve many chall...

• Crepe Myrtle Turning Black

  Why are the stems and leaves on my Crepe Myrtles turning black?

• Getting trees ready for the summer heat

  We repeat over and over each season that the drought continues with the typical, unabated dry conditions. Our extended, severe drought that has been with us for the past several years has caused deep stress conditions for our trees and has killed many ...

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