Sooty Bark Disease

A Technical Report from The Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories

Sooty bark disease (SBD) causes wilting, dieback, and death of various maple species in North America. This disease is caused by the fungus Cryptostroma corticale, first described in London, Ontario in 1889. Genetic studies suggest that the disease agent, or pathogen, that causes SBD is closely related to the one that causes Hypoxylon canker. In addition to infecting living trees, C. corticale can exist as a decay agent, or saprophyte, on maple logs. It has recently been detected on several tree species in the Seattle, Washington area. The role of C. corticale in the death of the trees in Seattle is not known at this time, however.