Pucciniastrum epilobii

Fir fireweed rust

Description

The underside of the needles of the fir trees are covered with yellowish or orange aecia. They are elongated, about 1 mm long. Very good visible even from the distance of several meters.The occurs in the summer time on the more wet stands with occurrence of the alternate host - willow herb Epilobium spp. The needles of infeceted trees turns yellow as season progress. The protection lies mainly in mechanical removal of willow herb from the neighborhood of fir trees. The second alternative is a chemical protection of needles just in bud by the contact fungicide in the spring season. However, the nature itself usually takes care of effective protection e.g. from the phenology point of view, the forming of basidiospores is not harmonized with the budding of fir trees and in the end, infection does not arise without protective measures either.

Symptom

The underside of the needles of the fir trees are covered with yellowish or orange aecia. They are elongated, about 1 mm long. Very good visible even from the distance of several meters.

Tree Species: Fir

Part of a plant- attacked: Leaf / Needle

Pest significance: Harmful

Pest Category: Fungi

Invasive Species: No

Present in EU: Yes