Question From: Boulder, Colorado, United States
Q: There is a red fungus/bacteria (?) growing on the trunk of my pussy willows. No leaves are appearing. These are old trees and have grown well. New growth is appearing at the bottom of the trunks. I live in CO and we've had some extreme weather conditions: in the Fall a 40 degree drop in a few hours, the last 6 weeks more rain than usual, and during the winter deer have rubbed/eaten bark from the trees. Do you have any ideas about this red growth and any actions I should take. I don't use pesticides.
A: If the entire surface of the suckers are red it is a reaction to severe weather and wild swings in temperature . Your tree may have died and be regenerating from the crown. Only time will tell. It may still leaf out, so give it another month or so. Best And Happy Yardening, Nancy
