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RTEC Treecare

Expert Tree Care in the DC Metro Area | Call 703-573-3029 to talk to a Tree Care Expert.

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My Shrubs Are Turning Black / Brown

Resources: Tree Problems

My Shrubs Are Turning Black/Brown : Learn What’s Causing The Problem And How To Fix It!

Black Shrubs
Sooty Mold On Eucalyptus Tree

My Shrubs Are Turning Black:

In 90% of cases of shrubs turning black, the cause is a fungus commonly known as Sooty Mold. Sooty Mold is a fungus that grows on the excretions of a plant-sucking insect.

In small amounts, Sooty mold is typically not harmful, but in large amounts, it can coat leaves of your shrubs to the point where they cannot absorb sunlight. This means that the process of photosynthesis is interrupted and they will not be able to produce the nutrients they need for survival.

To treat sooty mold you need to suppress the plant-sucking insect population. Once the insect population is in check the sooty mold will begin to disappear.

My Shrubs Are Turning Brown:

Unlike black shrubs, shrubs that are turning or have turned brown can be caused by a number of issues. The three main issues that would result in browning shrubs are drought stress, winter damage, and disease.

Drought Stress:

With drought stress, the leaves wilt, begin yellowing, and turn brown from the outside moving inward. You can combat drought stress by thoroughly watering trees and mulching around the base of the tree to retain moisture. To find out how much water your tree needs to thrive check out our watering article.

Brown Shrubs Winter Damage
Winter Damage On Evergreen Shrubs

Winter Damage:

Most of these negative effects of winter stem from the fact that trees and shrubs lose moisture through their pores which are located on their leaves/needles. During the winter months, the dry air and wind accelerate this effect leading to leaves increasing their water demand from the roots in order to survive. However, the root system usually has a hard time keeping up with the leaves’ demands. The result: leaves and needles turning brown and dying. This cycle is called winter burn.

Because our last frost was late this year and trees/shrubs had started pushing out new growth, winter burn is prevalent around the DC metro area.  

Disease:

Brown spots and the browning of leaf veins while the rest of the leaf is still green are tell-tale signs of shrub disease. If your shrub is suffering from an overall browning and you have ruled out winter damage or drought stress, it may have a root disease. Common diseases in this area include anthracnose, leaf spot, Armillaria root rot, and Phytophthora root rot.  To correctly identify the type of disease your shrub is suffering from a Certified Arborist will need to inspect your shrub and its leaves.

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Google Reviews

Grey Burkhart
Grey Burkhart
March 29, 2022.
Verified
Very professional review of our requirements and an accurate estimate. Showed up on time and were finished quickly. Cleaned up all of the debris and sawdust. Great job all around.
Dennis Bruns
Dennis Bruns
March 8, 2022.
Verified
We have used RTEC Treecare for several years. They do excellent work. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable and take great care in explaining the various options available for your particular situation. I highly recommend them.
Annette Iannucci
Annette Iannucci
February 23, 2022.
Verified
We have been using RTEC for years and were very pleased with the recent tree maintenance work they did for us. As always, we got good advice from their arborist Ben,. The crew that did the work is highly skilled, and they did a great job trimming our trees. They worked safely and efficiently, in addition to leaving the yard clean after they finished the work.
Susan Crawford
Susan Crawford
January 26, 2022.
Verified
RTEC was at my house today to removed a large Magnolia that was badly damaged by the recent snow. They did a fantastic job at a very reasonable price. They arrived right on time, worked efficiently and quickly and cleaned up so well it was hard to tell anything have been disturbed. Over the past several years, I have used RTEC for all the services I checked above, and have always been very pleased with their service and professionalism. I also appreciate that they are not eager to take down trees that don't need to come down. In this case, the damage was too extensive for the tree to recover.
Kenton Morgan
Kenton Morgan
January 20, 2022.
Verified
Once again, RTEC has done a great job. The team showed up right on time and performed all the work that we agreed to. They kept us informed as to progress, coordinated with us concerning our maple, and made recommendations concerning ongoing support for our trees. At the end of the day, they thoroughly cleaned up the debris and left our yard in pristine condition. WELL DONE.
Jean Kluttz
Jean Kluttz
January 3, 2022.
Verified
Not our first time but this time was tricky removal of a large dead tree leaning on a healthy tree. Quick response for estimate, good timing to removal, all clear and healthy tree still fine.
Jerry Haggin
Jerry Haggin
December 16, 2021.
Verified
Very good work while ensuring that I was aware of status of my work order and planned completion.
Mike Iger
Mike Iger
December 16, 2021.
Verified
David Roberts
David Roberts
December 15, 2021.
Verified
We’ve used RTEC for many years for tree maintenance and can’t say enough good things about their service. We use them for tree trimming and for regular treatments to maintain our trees’ health and deal with pests and prevent disease. Their arborist Ben has been especially helpful with advice. RTEC also been especially helpful in emergency situations, once coming to cable a massive, heritage oak in our yard right before a hurricane was about to hit. Highly recommend.
Travis Larson
Travis Larson
December 10, 2021.
Verified
RTEC did an excellent job onsite of removing dead branches from our 80+ year old trees, and trimming other growth too close to our home.
Google rating score: 4.8 of 5, based on 185 reviews.

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