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Brand canker

Kalmusia coniothorium

10 host plants

Last updated

Data Coverage 3 of 6 dimensions
Causal Agent
Host Plants
Symptoms
Management
GDD Threshold
Regional Notes

Brand canker produces cankers on tree bark that gradually girdle and kill branches and trunks. You see sunken lesions with stained wood beneath the bark surface. The condition develops when fungal spores enter through wounds or branch stubs. Management includes removing infected branches promptly, disinfecting pruning tools, and preventing mechanical tree injury.

Prune out cankered branches at least six inches below visible symptoms, making cuts into healthy wood. Sterilize your tools between cuts. Canker pathogens typically enter through wounds, so minimize pruning injuries and avoid working on trees when bark is wet. Maintain tree vigor through proper watering and avoid stress from drought or compacted soil, which makes trees more susceptible.

Quick Reference

Causal Agent
Kalmusia coniothorium
Host Plants
10

Management

Cultural Controls

  • Avoid wounding plants.
  • Prune properly with sharp tools to avoid pruning wounds.
  • Do not leave long stubs.
  • Avoid winter mulches which hold high amounts of moisture near canes.
  • Remove all infected canes, making pruning cuts below the diseased portion.
  • Provide proper culture to keep plants healthy and more disease-resistant.

Host Plants (10)