Ash dieback: what Cornish homeowners need to know
How to spot ash dieback in your garden, and when an infected tree needs to come down.
Ash dieback is a fungal disease that has spread across the whole of the UK, and Cornwall is no exception. Most of the ash trees we look at now show some sign of it.
How to spot it
- Thin, patchy crowns in summer, especially at the top of the tree
- Dead twigs and branches at the tips, often with leaves still attached
- Dark, diamond-shaped marks on the bark where side shoots join the trunk
- Bushy clumps of new growth low down on the trunk
Does it have to come down?
Not always. Some ash trees show tolerance and recover. If the tree is in a field or a quiet corner, it can often be left and watched.
If it stands near a house, a road, a path or a play area, it needs a proper look. Infected ash goes brittle, and branches can drop without warning. Badly infected trees are also more dangerous to climb, so the earlier we deal with them, the safer and cheaper the job.
What to do next
Take a few photos of the tree in summer, when the leaves are on, and send them to us. We will tell you whether it needs work now, or whether it is fine to check again next year.