Fungus Robs Maples of Fall Color

 

Anthracnose fungus is robbing maple trees in New England of their brilliant fall color.

The rainy spring and summer have produced a fungus that has damaged maple trees in Connecticut and elsewhere in New England. Leaves have turned a drab color and have fallen a month too soon. Anthracnose fungi, which thrive in moist conditions, have afflicted the trees. Scientists and foresters say it’s the worst outbreak in years.

The fall foliage color is still expected to be good in Connecticut this season, but thousands of trees, including some of the colorful sugar maples, will have already shed their leaves and won’t be part of the show. People who wonder why trees seem to be dying have deluged the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven and the state Department of Environmental Protection with questions. A state survey identified 25,215 acres of infested trees. The infection does not kill trees, and most are expected to rebound in the spring.