I have been working in the lawn and landscape industry for the past 21 years and outside of the Asian Longhorned Beetle infestation in the early 2000s, the threat the Emerald Ash Borer beetle poses is the most serious I have ever seen. And, like its name implies, the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) attacks ash trees. Guess what the most planted parkway tree in established neighborhoods throughout the Midwest is? … yep, the ash tree.

Is There Hope?

Well of course there is! For every bug, insect or pest that the devil creates, we horticulture folks have a way to eradicate it. In fact, in the case of the emerald ash borer, we have some very reliable preventatives that will save your trees from certain infestation and death.

How To Know If You Have Ash Trees

Now I can’t give you pictures that are exhaustive here, but I can let you see some of the main tell tale signals that you do indeed have an ash at your crib. Here ya go…

Ash Tree bark is very rough in mature trees.

Many ash will have green lichens (a fungus) growing on their trunks as well.

Lichens do not hurt the tree in any way.

click photos to view full sized.