Are your trees looking less vibrant than usual? If you see black spots on tree leaves, immediately restoring your trees’ visual appeal is important. Dark spots might seem harmless, yet they could reveal a serious tree infection.

A top tree service in Foster, TX, like Meadows Tree Service, can help determine if these unattractive leaf blemishes are something to worry about. Keep reading our guide below to learn what to look for if your tree develops black leaf spots. 

What Causes of Black Spots on Leaves?

Are black spots on tree leaves a problem? In almost all cases, the answer is yes.

Black or brown spots on leaves usually mean the tree has a fungal infection like Black Spot Fungus. This fungus plagues plants with fleshy stems like maple trees and rose bushes. 

Black Spot Fungus is common and usually forms in the spring when shade trees lack the air circulation to dry thoroughly after experiencing wet weather. When the infection takes hold, it will start as a tiny black spot with an outer ring that will turn yellow. The spots will keep forming and growing until the whole leaf turns black and dies. 

Common Symptoms of Tree Fungal Infections

Learning the early warning signs of a fungal infection can help your trees maintain a healthy life cycle. Unfortunately, the symptoms of fungal infections on trees that create black spots aren’t identical. The warning signs could change depending on the tree’s species. 

Sometimes trees with Black Spot Fungus have black discoloration on the tops of their leaves that look like dark specks, while other plants have spots that resemble leaf damage from aphids, mites, and scale. Inspect the spots closely. If the blemishes are dry, oozy, or soft, making them look strikingly different from the rest of the leaf, contact an experienced arborist immediately for a diagnosis and treatment. 

How to Handle Black Spot Fungus

Even if you have no intention of using the trees on your property as a source of wood, you don’t want Black Spot Fungus or other infections to impact your tree’s health and attractiveness negatively. Here’s how to address a fungal disease that causes black blemishes on leaves:

• Immediately rake, prune, and dispose of affected leaves to slow the infection spread
• Though you can’t do anything about rain, don’t water your tree from overhead so its leaves can stay as dry as possible
• Contact an arborist for fungicide treatment

Get Expert Advice From One of Foster’s Top Tree Care Services

Whether you’re wondering how to remedy black spots on tree leaves or asking, “Can partially uprooted trees be saved?” count on Meadows Tree Service to deliver expert answers, advice, and reliable tree services. We’re one of Foster, TX’s affordable, world-class tree care service providers capable of handling everything from deep root fertilization to emergency storm cleanup.

Our fully licensed, insured, and ISA-certified company delivers superior tree care services of any size with excellent customer service. We guarantee your satisfaction—call (832) 692-4931 for a free estimate.