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Weeping Willow Anthracnose - is the tree doomed?

Last post 28-08-2012 9:32 PM by Hedgelayer. 1 replies.

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  • 15/08/2012 11:24 AM
    • Hesitojo
    • Oxfordshire
    • 15 Aug 2012
    • 1
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    Our Weeping Willow (around 35yrs old) had seemed a bit yellow in early summer but I just thought it was late getting its full leaves due to the bad weather.  However, now it has lost all its leaves and it looks like it does in winter.  I've googled this - and it would look like Anthracnose.  There seems to be conflicting advice on the web - some say that the disease may not come back next year, others that there's nothing we can do.  Does anyone have any experience of this?  We really don't want to cut the tree down as it looks lovely normally, provides great privacy and adds to the character of our road - not to mention the expense of having it cut down and waiting for a tree to grow in it's place.

     It is next to a stream - so it is definitely not an issue with not enough water, so I think it must be this Anthracnose.

    Any advice much appreciated.

    Thanks
  • 28/08/2012 09:32 PM
    In reply to
    • Hedgelayer
    • Nottinghamshire
    • 02 Jun 2012
    • 22
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     As far as I know, Anthracnose will "overwinter" in fallen leaves, so one thing you could do is thoroughly rake leaves up as they fall. How effective this is is open to debate. I've read that for this to be effective, you have to be extremely thorough in your raking, because it only takes a small amount of material to be left behind to provide sufficient spores to keep the cycle going. Having said this, I did once advise someone in a similar situation to do this, and they told me the following year that it had made a huge difference.