The leaves prematurely drop and will result in loss of tree vigor. After several years of infestation death may occur, or seriously deform the tree. Besides being unsightly and having to rake leaves in June, the disease can increase a tree's susceptibility to additional disease problems. Anthracnose creates shoot blight, twig blight, leaf blight, and bud blight. It will not kill the tree, however the disease remains in the tree indefinitely if not treated as is obvious to anyone driving down Ward Parkway in the spring.
Traditional treatments are difficult and expensive.
The timing is critical and only lasts for one season. The picture on the left shows the difference between a treated sycamore and one untreated. Treatments must be done after re-foliation in the summer for protection for the following three years. The famous Dutch Elm disease was imported from Europe in the 1930's. Carried by the elm bark beetles, root grafting, and people moving wood, the disease spread from several points on the east coast to everywhere elms grow in the country.