Black spots on your maple leaves? Don't panic!

By STEVE BENTON Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Podcast Episode

WCLO's Steve Benton reports on the cause of black spots on local maple trees

ROCK COUNTY — Residents in Rock County, and elsewhere in Southern Wisconsin, are panicking over black spots showing up on their maple trees.

U-W Extension horticulturist, Mike Maddox says the recent cool, damp weather has aided the emergence of a fungus that is causing the problem. He says "Venturia Leaf Spot" will eventually disappear when the weather changes. He also says the fungus will not kill the trees.

Maddox says the spores appear to be affecting all maple trees, but primarily Silver Maples.

He says the one thing you can do to stop a possible re-emergence later in the year, is to either compost dead leaves that fall to the ground, or burn them. That will kill the spores, according to Maddox.

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