Why does nobody talk about how fast ash trees actually die from EAB?

I was doing some research after losing a third ash on one property this year. Found a study from Purdue that says once you see the D-shaped exit holes, the tree is basically dead within 3 years. No fighting it, no saving it. Most of my clients think they can just treat them and move on, but by the time the bark starts flaking off, it's too late. That timeline surprised me because I always assumed you had a 5-7 year window based on what I heard at conferences. Has anyone else had luck treating trees that already showed signs of infestation?

2 comments

2 Comments

noahgreen11d ago

That whole 'dead within 3 years' thing from Purdue is kind of wild to me, I mean I've seen it happen faster on a couple of trees near my place." My neighbor had one that looked fine in the spring and by late summer the whole top was gone. Honestly, by the time you see those exit holes, you might as well start planning the removal.

stella_scott9611d ago

Are you sure about that Purdue timeline? I've pulled trees that showed exit holes and still hung on for a good 4 or 5 years before they fully gave up, at least around here. It probably depends on the tree's health and how bad the infestation is when you first spot it.