Chestnut blight??

[tazz001]

I have quite a few young chinese chestnut trees (all less the 4 yrs old...most are 1-2 yrs) while many of them are thriving I have one that is getting wierd splits in the trunk and patches of brown on the branches

Is this chesnut blight or do I have another problem. I understand that the blight can spread (so far the rest of the trees are unaffected) and there is no cure...what do i do?? Cut it down and pray for new growth out of the root system??

Many thanks

 

[Urban Forester]

It does not appear to be Chestnut Blight, (see this link: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/foresthealth/forestpests/diseases/chestnut.shtml) however it DOES appear to be a canker disease, possibly nectria canker. Picture #1 appears to show the development of 2 cankered areas and picture #2 seems to show a large discoloration on the right stem and a small discoloration on the main(?) stem. I would say this tree is infected and should be removed...

 

[tazz001]

oh NUTS...looks like the tree will be cut down. Bummer as this was an Arbor Day Assoc tree that has been nurtured for a few summers. Oh well..better to cut it down that watch it die off.

Just wondering...if we cut low to the ground do you think any new growth will have the same problem. We have a chestnut tree a neighbor gave us a few years ago that died immediately upon transplant and it grew out of the root stock the following spring. Granted that particular tree was a "plant store reject" but is now a very nice looking tree. It even blossomed this year but no other to cross pollinate with.