Silk Wood project audio description

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Ash dieback

A disease which blocks the water transport system in plants, ash dieback is devastating for ash species.

It is caused by a fungus called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, and is spread by fungal spores in the wind.

It was first discovered in Europe in 1992, and in the UK in 2012.

Symptoms include:

  • Blackening and wilting of leaves and shoots in infected trees between July and September.
  • Dark lesions can show on the bark of the tree. They are often elongated-diamond shape and typically spread upwards and downwards from the joint.
  • Dieback in the crown of the tree.
Photo shows two fungal mushrooms of Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. They are white and, and cone shaped, growing from a thin base to wide top, from a small branch. In reality these mushrooms are so small they are hard to spot.