NATIVE RANGE: North America

FIRST FINDING IN SLOVENIA: not yet found in Slovenia

PATHWAYS: transported with infected seedlings and seeds

POSSIBLE TO FIND: yearround

DESCRIPTION: A tree disease which causes blights and dieback of branches. Needles discolour and become pale brown, branches die and dead needles fall off. Most affected are the tips of branches, which die back. Larger branches and trunks can develop cankers. Black fruiting bodies may be found on both dead needles and on cankers. Adult trees as well as young plants may be affected and seedlings and saplings may fail.

HOST PLANTS: This fungal disease affects cedars (Cedrus spp.) and hemlocks (Tsuga spp.).

STATUS: So far there have been sporadic records in the United Kingdom, Belgium and Germany.

SIMILAR SPECIES: The damage can be confused with infections by the fungus causing Sirococcus shoot dieback of spruce (Sirococcus conigenus). Laboratory analysis is necessary to confirm the identification.

SOURCE: Field Guide to Invasive Alien Species in European Forests