Root rot attacks some Nova Scotia Christmas trees

Some Nova Scotia Christmas tree growers are concerned about a fungus known as root rot.

Root rot (Phytophthora) is taking aim at some of Nova Scotia’s Christmas tree lots.

“Last spring we started seeing some rot and so I got a specialist in to get a look at it and we sent some off to get tested and confirmed it was root rot,” says tree grower, Colin Hughes.

So far only Fraser fir trees seem to be affected and not the more common balsam firs. It’s believed the root rot came from young trees brought into the province

“I’ve got balsams growing right alongside a dying Fraser and our balsams are doing very well, so we have got our fingers crossed with our native balsams,” Hughes says. “This was seed or seedlings that we purchased from nurseries and brought them here.”

That’s a bit of a blessing for Hughes who bought 15,000 Fraser fir trees in response to demand. He said local producers can’t grow enough trees to satisfy the market.

Root rot attacks the roots of trees and prevents them from absorbing water and nutrients until they wilt and die.

“We’ve never had to deal with it in our more northern climates largely because we always had frost that would go 6 to 8 inches deep and that would freeze out the spore stage of the disease,” says Canadian Christmas Tree Association committee member, Matthew Wright. He says climate change is playing a roll in root rot’s spread. Warmer winters are providing the right conditions for phytophthora to take hold.

“This particular disease has a swimming spore stage so it depends on a wet soil to actually swim to the roots and it only attacks roots when they’re actively growing in the spring or fall,” said Wright.

Colin Hughes said all he can do is watch and hope his losses are minimal and his balsams stay healthy.

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