It started on one tree and has spread to others--Some leaves look like little bites have been taken out. Others have leaves that are just a network of veins and then the leaf shrivels up. I don't see any mites or insects on them. What is wrong and how do I treat it? Do I put something on my uninvolved trees to prevent it?
Lets hope it is not this.
Cephalosporium diospyri causes persimmon wilt, a fungus disease that kills many trees in central Tennessee and the Southeastern States (1). The disease is characterized by a sudden wilting of the leaves, followed by defoliation and death of the branches from the top down. An infected tree often lives 1 or 2 years after this symptom appears. Diseased trees should be burned, and cuts and bruises on other trees should be painted to prevent entry by wind-borne spores. No disease-resistant trees have been found. A wound is necessary for primary infection. The hickory twig girdler and powderpost beetle cause the majority of wounds in healthy trees. As soon as the tree dies, the fungus produces spores in large quantities between the bark and the wood near the base of the tree.
Oops! I definitely have Hickory twig girdlers. I will look into this further.
I have spread the persimmons across a wide area--they aren't clustered together in a grove. I hope I'm not sunk.
