What's happening to the birch trees?

[Merrymeeting]

I was just wondering if anyone else has noticed a problem with their birch trees that we've been having this summer.

Since the time the leaves came out, our birch trees have been dropping leaves. I'm not talking about the normal shedding of a few leaves during the day. I'm talking falling like it's September.

This is happening both at the lake and at our home in central MA. The leaves turn yellow and fall off. They do not appear diseased or eaten in any way. But clearly something unusual is happening to them.

Is it just us or has anyone else noticed this?
:confused:

[chipj29]

I haven't noticed it at my house, and I have quite a few birches. I wonder if it has to do with the amount of rain we got in late spring?

[Airwaves]

Years ago we had transplanted Winni White Birch Trees in our front yard and they became infested with small black insects living in the leaves causing them to turn brown and drop. Is that what you are experiencing? If so an arborist might be able to help.

[LIforrelaxin]

Sounds like normal Birch behavior to me...We had many Birch trees at my parents last house. And I remember the Birch's shedding leaves....some years worse then others before the end of summer. Certainly this years weather could have something to do with it. Although as suggested contacting a Arborist doesn't hurt if they are "prized" trees. Myself I would just make a mental note and check them next year to make sure that all the branches bloom full and that the trees are not dying........

[nj2nh]

About 10 days ago, my boys and I drove up Mount Washington and we all noticed an unusual number of dead trees - all of them were birches. And, the only trees we have lost on our property lately are birches as well. Odd.

Jersey Girl

[mcdude]

The leaves turn yellow and fall off. They do not appear diseased or eaten in any way. But clearly something unusual is happening to them.

Is it just us or has anyone else noticed this?
:confused:

Merrymeeting: That's happening here at my place in Alton as well. On some of the other trees I have HUGE caterpillar nests. yuck.:cool:

[gravy boat]

We heard from a family friend (landscaper) that the increased acidity in the rain has affected birches -- I did not research this; therefore, I have no evidence to back it up -- it's hearsay.

With the heavy snows and ice storms in the last several years, perhaps the damage was done at that time.

I'd be very interested in the thoughts of an arborist (or several). If anybody has read anything of late on the subject, a link or reference is much appreciated.

Gravy

[Airwaves]

You could try asking someone at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Their website claims they have experts available to answer questions. I don't know if you have to be a member or not.

http://www.masshort.org

[Lin]

Could be a variety of reasons. We had a lot of rain earlier this year which could have spread anthraxnose spores: http://www.treehelp.com/trees/birch/birch-diseases-anthracnose.asp

or Birch leaf miner which is very prevelent in the NE area. This site will lead you to the page of the Leaf miners but if you go to the home page there is a lot of horticultural and forest tree info.
http://www.umassgreeninfo.org/fact_sheets/leaf_miners/birch_leafminer.html

Then there always is the question of acid rain and the Bronze birch beetle.

the caterpillars that you are seeing now are most likely the fall webworm. The silk webs are ugly on the trees and can contain many caterpillars in one web. We were up in the Moultonborugh area all last week and so many of these webs along the roadsides.
http://www.umassgreeninfo.org/fact_sheets/defoliators/fall_webworm.html

This website is a pretty unique site as every state has foresters working on this project. Collectively it will show the health of forests based on "plots" that are checked, calculated and monitored on a yearly basis.
http://fhm.fs.fed.us

[Coolbreeze]

Okay, as a Certified Arborist I may be able to shed some light on what is going on with the Birch trees in your area. The links that lin has listed are very helpful. To begin:
1- Birches drop their leaves during really hot weather. Even if it is short lived- it is a way the tree manages its resources for self preservation. This is true even with a wet spring.
2- Birches will shed damaged leaves from Jap beetles, Spring leaf miner, and for any other leaf damaging insects. Once again, self preservation management.
3- Bronze head Borer lays its eggs in weaker brich stems or plants. The eggs hatch in the furrows of the bark and the larvae burrows into the wood and feeds on the cambial tissues beneathe the bark. This usually happens in the early parts of the summer. The borers will kill trees in parts or entire plants if the infestation is really bad. call your local Certified Arborist for treatmnt suggestions.
4-Watering weak trees or in dry times will help the tree defend itself against the borers as it increases the wood fluid density making it harder for borers to penetrate into the cambial tissues under the bark. Look for copper colored leasions on the trunks with dead tops to help you Id the pest.
5- My suggestions for your trees is to begin supplemental watering if possible to boost plant hydrology. Call a certified arborist in your area to help diagnose more serious problems and to protect the trees. Also consider a fall fertilization to boost plant vigor for next year.

[gravy boat]

Thank you, Coolbreeze!

[Merrymeeting]

Lin, Coolbreeze,

Thank you! In examining the trees and leaves, I can see no evidence of insect/borer damage. I've seen them before and know what to look for.

I suspect the wet, then dry, hot weather had more to do with it. I've noticed that in the last week or so the leaves are not dropping as before. The worst period was in mid-July during that hot spell that we had.

Thanks again!