Today, about a third of the loblolly and slash pine trees in the Southeastern U.S. suffer from a fungal disease called fusiform rust. For this reason, it’s a common problem seen by tree care specialists, tree services, and ISA certified arborists in Atlanta . Although this tree disease does not result in a significant number of tree deaths, a severely affected plant can succumb to this type of fungal infection. More commonly, the presence of this disease can reduce the value of pine timber.
Watch this video to learn more about this tree disease. With the implementation of mass production of pine wood, fusiform rust went from being a rare problem to one that appeared consistently within pine stands. This fungal disease is still typical among pine trees and is more common within intensively managed areas. For stands that are significantly affected, thinning the area through tree removal can be beneficial.