August 10, 2005
Selecting Trees and Shrubs
Late summer/early fall is the time for good sales on many trees and shrubs. However, many people buy trees and shrubs from a garden center or nursery without knowing the basics for selecting high quality nursery stock. Here are some suggestions on how to select healthy trees and shrubs.
Hawthorn Rusts
Hawthorns (Crataegus spp.) are susceptible to Cedar-Hawthorn Rust, Cedar-Quince Rust and Cedar-Apple Rust. Rusts are plant diseases caused by different species of fungi which often complete their life cycle on two host plants, in this case a cedar or a juniper, and a member of the rose family such as apple, crabapple, serviceberry, quince and hawthorn, among others. All three diseases are caused by different species of the fungus Gymnosporangium.