October 15, 2020The black fungus or the black knot is a common fungal disease that attacks trees, especially the plum and cherry trees.Black knot disease is easy to identify and diagnose. Trees affected by black fungus gradually appear swollen, hard, and black knots appear on their branches and twigs, hence the name black knots. If left untreated, the fungus will expand, grow larger, and spread to the tree’s stem.This fungal disease spreads during spring as the wind easily transports the spores of the black knot. The spore then lands on a new susceptible tree where it germinates. The germinated spores release a chemical that causes trees to grow extra plant cells, resulting in the swollen black knots.Although the disease affects mostly wild trees, it can spread to your trees too if you don’t monitor and maintain them well.Symptoms of Black KnotAs said earlier, one of the most visible signs that indicate that the disease has attacked your tree is the black knots that appear on the branc...
