Maple leaves are changing not because of fall, because of a fungus

If you’ve been noticing the leaves of some maple trees starting to turn brown and dropping early, it could be a sign of a fungus, not of fall’s inevitable arrival.

Since the Hudson Valley, and the rest of the state, experienced a rainy summer, “many of our maple trees have been infected with tar spot fungus,” according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Luckily, previously healthy trees that show signs of tar spot can bounce back a year after defoliation, officials say.

For signs of tar spot, look out for:

• Leaves turning light green or yellow in the early summer;

• Raised spots with wavy patterns or indentations that can merge, making the entire leaf appear black or brown; or

• Large and roughly circular or clusters of small specks merging into a larger spot.

And it’s not only tar spot fungus affecting our trees: Maple anthracnose is another fungal disease “common during summers with heavy and consistent rainfall,” the DEC says.

Signs of maple anthracnose are:

• Dark in color, ranging from brown to purplish black;

• Irregular or angular in shape; or

• Along the center of the leaf’s stem and the outward stretching veins.

Like tar spot fungus, any maple trees affected will recover by the spring.

Researchers say the best thing homeowners can do is to rake up any leaves affected with the fungus and either mulch or compost them to prevent the fungi from reproducing.

Read more about Tar Spot Fungus from Cornell, here: Link

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