Rare Fungus That Kills Tens of thousand Of Trees Now In New York

A fungus that was first found in Wisconsin is now threatening trees in New York State.

The New York State DEC wants New Yorkers to check on oak trees

Check Oak Trees In New York

"Be on the lookout for oak wilt throughout NYS! Have you checked your oak trees recently? Now is a great time to look for signs of oak wilt, a non-native fungus," the DEC stated on social media.

Oak wilt impacts both red and white oaks. Symptoms are more noticeable in red oaks, which can die in as little as six weeks after infection, according to the DEC.

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Private landowners in New York make $55 million in revenue from oak each year, the DEC reports. It's the fourth most abundant tree species in the Empire State

Symptoms Of Oak Wilt Fungus

"The oak wilt fungus blocks the flow of water and nutrients from the roots to the crown, causing the leaves to wilt and fall off, usually killing the tree," DEC states.

The following symptoms are "very noticeable" in red oak.

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History For Oak Wilt

Oak wilt was first discovered in America in Wisconsin in 1944, "but where it originated is still unknown," according to the DEC. It arrived in New York State for the first time in 2008.

After arriving in Wisconsin, oak wilt spread throughout the Midwest and Texas and has killed tens of thousands of trees.

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Oak wilt is spread by beetles and through tree roots.

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