Can someone identify the problem with my River Birch?

The leaves just look terrible!

Only thing I can find so far, is a possibility of aphids. Can anyone confirm this leaf "shrivel"?

Just saw this -- looks like aphids to me too. You should be able to see the critters if you look closely.

Guy S.

If you're like me (blind) use a magnifying glass.

I'm sorry but it dozent look like aphid damage to me ,it looks more fungil to me like black spot,or some kind of scal.Im not sure if it were aphids thay would be still there and you would see them.

The "aphids" are there...there are very small black bugs on the underside of the leaf. What I don't understand is the fact that the leaf is mishaped. It looks deformed. How are they doing this damage?

The leaves are cringing and writhing in pain!

"Help me, Osteole, HELP ME!"

Guy S.

The only aphids I have seen are peachy colored or green-have never heard of a black aphid. Also have never seen leaves damaged like that from aphids, and also have never seen a bad infestation of aphids where they contained themselves to one small area like that -the leaves around it look green and healthy, and I can't believe that the aphids wouldn't have moved on to those leaves-
This looks funky-for sure, but I don't think its aphids. I think a fungus would have spread as well. How long have the leaves looked like this?

Every year we see these aphid infestations on river birch -- it's pretty common, and that's exactly how it looks. The honeydew from the aphids does support sooty molds, which is where the mildew diagnosis might originate.

Guy S.

weird...lol well, I guess I will stick to annuals! Glad I don't see them on my river birch, I wouldn't be able to spray them-the tree is over 40' high.
But why haven't they moved to the healthy leaves?

So what's your treatment Guy? Let nature take its course or use chemicals?

I see lots of lady bugs......

Lady bugs do it for me, unless the tree is very small or weak. The aphids never seem to gain too much of a foothold and Tiger is right, they don't spread much. But you can blast them with a hose to thin the herd if necessary, or spray with insecticidal soap, or get into a systemic insecticide if you really have a bad problem. Using topical insecticides might kill the predators and then the aphids might go nuts.

Tiger, please don't stick with girly-man annuals. Flash-in-the-pan, here today, gone tomorrow! Stay with us and get into REAL plants -- the he-man types that just get bigger and better every year for several centuries. Trees rock!

Guy S.

lol starhill, thats a sore subject for me right now....I am so sick of annuals right now I could throw up on them-or pass out on them-I don't care which-or both.
I grow them for a living-I am a wholesale grower of annuals and now is the busiest time ever getting them out to the landscapers. I really need a break and no end in sight for 2-3 more wks. But then I get 2 months off and tropicals here I come. Thats my game. You should see the trees in Hawaii where I used to live. Talk about massive. Loved them-so many kinds and uses and looks and huge flowering trees

Girly man my a.... lol :)

Hey, send us a Hawaii tree pic once in a while -- if you can ever get your head out of the petunia patch!
Hee-hee-hee!!!

Guy S.