A tree-killing disease is beginning to spread from Kentucky to Tennessee, and recent reports indicate it is spreading closer to Missouri. Listen here.
Beginning in 2019 in western Kentucky, laurel wilt has slowly spread down the state into our neighbor to the north, Tennessee, where a county near the Missouri bootheel has just had detections. The tree-killing disease threatens mainly sassafras trees, but has also been shown to affect spicebush and the endangered pondberry.
Carried by invasive beetles and a fungus which causes a lethal wilt disease in plants. Symptoms include rapidly wilting leaves, dark staining of the sapwood, and small beetle exit holes in the bark.
Although there have been no reports of laurel wilt yet, Missouri Department of Conservation officials warn that it could arrive at any moment, and encourages Missourians to report any dying sassafras to Forest.Health@mdc.mo.gov.
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