Page 54 - MNLGA Free State Summer 2021
P. 54
TOTAL PLANT MANAGEMENT (continued)
he noise of the Brood X
Periodical Cicada has
Tceased. You may hear some
noise from the Dog-Day cicadas
in August, but fortunately they will
not be as destructive as the Brood
X periodical cicadas. Most nurseries
in Maryland did not suffer damage
but the ones that did all report
rather severe branch dieback of
branches in which female cicada
oviposited.
The female cicada concentrated
most of their egg ovipositing into
thinner branch tips. In nurseries PAGE 54
that suffered damage to the Crabapple: Cicada damage on a
tip branches, in most cases, the Prairifire Crabapple.
damaged branches have been PAGE 55 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
either broken off by wind and Linkberry with cicada damage
rainstorms or pruned off by Damage: Cicada damage on old
wood.
nursery workers. Unfortunately, Acerrubrum2year: Cicada damage
there is a fair amount of damage on second year wood of a Red Maple
that occurred on large diameter (Acer rubrum)
branches further into the canopy of Cladrastis: Cicada damage on
second year wood of a Yellowwood
the nursery trees. (Cladrastis kentukea)
When the female cicada oviposited Photo credit: Stanton Gill, page 53
into the branch, she also laid down and top page 55, All other images
Michael Moran, Raemelton Farm
a chemical that acts as growth
hormone that keeps the wound
area from closing over completely. drought stress for the last 2 months, The interesting thing is that while
This damage will be very apparent here in Maryland we have had visiting several nurseries I noticed
this fall and winter when the an overall cooler than normal July that Ginkgo trees are basically
foliage drops off the tree. Some and frequent rains. Plants tend devoid of any Cicada ovipositional
customers may find this damage to re-generate new growth under damage.
unacceptable. The damage tissue these weather conditions.
will be apparent for several years. No doubt about it, your field
Pruning it off is the best action you While cutting back a tree, to what workers are going to get a real
can take. Steve Black is calling a “hat-rack,” work out this summer, but on
may look bad, it will likely fill in if the the good side, their upper body
The good news for Maryland cool weather remains and frequent muscles should be in fantastic
growers is that while the rest of rains continue. condition after this summer
the USA has been under heat and
exercise. A
54 SUMMER 2021 • Free State News
