COAST LIVE OAK
Quercus agrifolia
Coast live oaks are evergreen trees that can range from 20 to 70 feet, with canopies that can be even larger. These are great native trees prized by many property owners. There are many insects and diseases that can impact oaks. The list below shows a few of the most common issues regarding the oak:
Insects:
- Western Oak Bark Beetle (Pseudopityophthorus pubipennis)
- Pit Scales (Asterodiapsis spp.)
- OakWorm (Phryganidia californica)
Diseases
- Oak root fungus (armillaria mellea)
- Crown rot (Phytophthora cinnamomi and other species)
- Powdery Mildew (Sphaerotheca lanestris)
- Foamy canker (Geosmithia pallida)
Monterey Pine
Pinus radiata
Found throughout the Monterey Bay area, Monterey Pines are an evergreen tree that can reach a height of 100 feet. The canopy may be about 30 feet wide. These tall trees are often pyramid shaped. The list below shows a few of the most common issues regarding the Monterey pine:
Insects:
- Red Turpentine Beetle (Dendroctonus valens)
- Scale (Toumeyella pinicola)
- Adelgid or Aphid (Essigella californica)
Disease:
- Pine Pitch Canker (Fusarium circinatum)
- Crown Rot (Armillaria mellea)
- Dwarf Mistletoe (arceuthobium campylopodum)
Monterey Cypress
Hesperocyparis macrocarpa
The Monterey Cypress is an evergreen coniferous tree world renowned for its beauty. Windswept with seabreeze, this this tree may achieve 30 feet in height. In more protected areas this tree may grow anywhere between 50 - 70 feet. The list below shows a few of the most common issues regarding the Monterey Cypress:
Insects:
- Cypress Mealybug (Ehrhornia cupressi)
- Bark Moth (Layspeyresia cupressana)
- Bark Beetle (Phloeosinus cupressi)
Diseases
- Cypress pitch canker (Seiridium or Coryneum cardinale)
- Rust (Gymnosporangium cupressi)
- Soilborne diseases (Armillaria mellea, Phytophthora spp.)
Sycamore
Platanus racemosa
California sycamore trees are a great native deciduous tree that may be found from our coastal ranges to the foothills. These trees grow quickly to a height of 30-80 feet with a canopy 20 - 50 feet wide. A hybrid, the London Plane Tree, is usually a little smaller and tolerates a man-made environment such as landscapes, proximate building and pavement better than its native cousins. The list below shows a few of the most common issues regarding the sycamore:
Insects:
- Sycamore scale (Stomacoccus platani)
- Sycamore Spider mite (Tetranychus urticae)
- Sycamore Lace Bug (Corythucha ciliata)
Diseases
- Anthracnose (Discula veneta)
- Powdery mildew (microsphaera alni)
Some images used under Creative Commons licenses: "western dwarf mistletoe" by USDA Forest Service - Region 2 - Rocky Mountain Region, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org (CC BY 3.0 US); "The Lone Cypress" by Richard Wang (CC BY-SA 3.0)