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RTEC Treecare

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Black Sooty Mold: The Real Reason You Don’t Want It On Your Trees

Resources: Tree Problems

Unaffected foliage vs affected foliage, spotted locally on a Holly tree by one of our Certified Arborists

Have you ever encountered annoying sticky sap coating your car, furniture, or walkway? Did you find it under a tree? Say hello to honeydew.

Honeydew is a common plant health issue. It’s gross, it’s annoying, and it can be difficult to remove. But here’s the worst part of all: it attracts pests that can become detrimental to plants and can lead to the development of sooty mold.

In this article, we talk all about sooty mold, the unsightly consequences it leaves on your landscape, and what it really means when you find it on your trees.


What is Sooty Mold?

Sooty mold and azalea bark scale found on stems of crepe myrtle trees; spotted by one of our Certified Arborists
Sooty mold and azalea bark scale found on stems of crepe myrtle trees; spotted by one of our Certified Arborists

Sooty mold is a type of plant mold that results in an unsightly black discoloration on trees. Without proper control, it can make the host plant turn entirely black.

This tree mold grows on the honeydew residue left by sucking insects, such as aphids and soft scales, that infest the plant. These pests can cause the host plant to lose its ability to absorb enough sunlight. Consequently, the affected plant risks not producing the nutrients it needs to survive.

With that said, can you guess what the real cause of concern is when it comes to sooty mold? That’s right – it isn’t the mold itself, but rather its indication that pests are infesting your landscape. If left untreated, these sap sucking insects will leave a detrimental aftermath on your plants.

Therefore, to save your tree, it’s best to act proactively; and, if your tree has already been affected, you’ll need to act immediately.

What insects cause black sooty mold?

  • Lace bugs (targets: Azaleas, Rhododendrons, and other plants in the heath family)
  • Scale insects (targets: Azaleas, Rhododendron, Huckleberry, Andromeda, Hawthorn, Poplar, Maple, Oak, Linden, Birch, & Willow)
  • Aphids (targets: Ash, Crape Myrtles, Fir, Pine, Spruce, Cedar, Hackberry, Roses, and Tulip Poplars)

>> Read here to learn more about these tree bugs


Sooty Mold Symptoms

Along with the obvious black discoloration, there are a few other symptoms you can look out for when trying to identify if your trees are dealing with sooty mold.

Symptoms include:

  • Stunted plant growth
  • Early leaf drop
  • Tree bugs sucking up sap
  • Honeydew residue

If you spot these symptoms in your plants, it’s important to reserve an appointment with your Certified Arborist to prevent further damage on your landscape.


Sooty Mold Treatment

Black sooty mold found on walkway patio outside home
Black sooty mold on walkway outside home, spotted by one of our Certified Arborists

Here’s the thing – when you spot sooty mold on your tree, the damage is already happening in your landscape. And that unsightly black mold? It isn’t coming off. The best way to act against it is to act proactively.

How to prevent sooty mold: Gain control against the insects that can overwinter on the host plant. A simple solution to this is having a preventative dormant oil spray applied to your plants.

By having the treatment applied before spring, you can prevent overwintering insects from wrecking havoc on your landscape. (And, in case you missed it, spring is right around the corner!)

Already see signs of the mold? Don’t worry – we can still treat the causal agent! With help from our tree experts, you can suppress the infestation and improve your plants’ health over time.

**Here’s a tip from one of our Certified Arborists: Do NOT power wash your affected plants, as it can actually do more damage to them.

We get it, the plant mold can ruin a great landscape. If you want, you can power wash the mold off the tree’s nearby environment (walkways, sidewalks, driveways, patios, etc.), but do be careful walking as it can make surfaces become slippery.

WORRIED ABOUT SOOTY MOLD IN YOUR TREES?

Reserve An Appointment Online
OR Call 703.573.3029

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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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