TREE ­­ROOT OR COLLAR ROT IN BILLINGS, MT

You may have noticed something strange about your tree. It may have an infection often referred to as 'collar rot' or 'crown rot'. This is caused when a fungus invades its lower trunk and roots, blocking the tree's important vascular system. As it spreads, the infection point can cause an 'engirdling' or strangulation of the tree. The most obvious symptom of this is a visible partial or even complete girdling of the tree's trunk, along with dark spots which might be reddish-brown at first and then a darker brown as the decay continues. Areas with poor drainage or abundant standing water are especially prone to this kind of problem.