Does anybody know why the horse chestnut trees leaves are discolouring so early?
I heard something on the local news about there being some form of disease affecting horse chestnut trees Almost half Britain’s horse chestnut trees could be infected with deadly bacteria, according to a new study that warns the disease has spread much further than experts realised. A survey of more than 2,600 horse chestnuts across the country found that 49% showed symptoms of the bleeding canker disease, which attacks bark and can kill the tree or require it to be chopped down. Previous estimates said only 5% of trees were affected. Roddie Burgess, head of plant health at the Forestry Commission, which carried out the new survey, said: “This was the first opportunity we have had to carry out a survey of this type, and the results did take us by surprise.” Commission staff checked the state of 1,385 rural trees and 1,244 in urban locations across England, Scotland and Wales last summer. More than half (54%) of the urban horse chestnuts showed symptoms of the disease and 44% of the rur
