Common name: plane wilt, canker stain of plane
Scientific name: Ceratocystis platani
What does it affect?: London plane, Oriental plane, American sycamore
Areas affected so far: not currently in the UK
Origin: eastern United States
A serious fungal disease of plane, plane wilt is usually fatal and can kill trees within two to five years.
Common name: plane wilt, canker stain of plane
Scientific name: Ceratocystis platani
What does it affect?: London plane, Oriental plane, American sycamore
Areas affected so far: not currently in the UK
Origin: eastern United States
Symptoms include:
It is a wound parasite; a pathogen that enters the tree via existing cuts and damage. When the soft outer layers of wood underneath the bark are infected, vessels in the vascular system are blocked from transporting water and energy and cause the sudden wilting of the tree.
Credit: James Roberts / Forestry Commission
The pathogen has spread from eastern United States to Europe. It’s now been found in Albania, France, Greece, Armenia, Italy and Spain. This disease is not currently thought to be present in the UK.
Plane wilt is not present in the UK. The pathogen was accidentally introduced from the eastern United States through a number of southern European ports during World War II on infected crates. It spread rapidly through Italy and into Switzerland and France.
The disease is always fatal to the tree. Smaller trees tend to die off more quickly than mature trees.
There is no way of controlling the disease with chemicals but in Europe plane trees are being developed that show resistance to the pathogen.
Imported live plants and wood is the biggest risk for plane wilt entering the UK. The UK is now a protected zone for plane wilt and the movement of plane to the UK is banned unless they have been grown in an area free of the disease.
To combat the spread of pests and diseases like plane wilt we have:
We are fighting back against pests and diseases. Find out what we're doing to prevent the spread and protect the UK’s trees.
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