TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Phytophthora ramorum; a fancy name for a fungus that causes death in oak trees common to Indiana.
Recently, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources confirmed a statewide threat of sudden oak death through the infection of plants, primarily rhododendrons, sold at more than 70 Walmart stores and 18 Rural King stores throughout the state.
The spread of sudden oak death could have major consequences for Hoosier forests.
“Those rhododendrons, azaleas, lilacs act as, the way I think of it as an incubator, making more and more spores so that it can attract more and more and more trees, that terminal host, those oak trees, that make up all of our state forests,” said Vigo County Purdue Extension Educator Dana Gadeken.
A media representative from Walmart said in a statement that “in precaution and as requested by the DNR, we have removed that type of plant from our sales floor in Indiana”.
The physical signs of sudden oak death can be difficult to detect.
“Symptoms of poor drainage and things like that can look exactly like the pictures you might see of sudden oak death and everything, so I guess I would tell folks don’t automatically assume, but do look ’em over,” said Apple House co-owner Ryan Cummins.
“It is difficult, even for someone who has experience in overlooking plants, I couldn’t actually tell whether a plant had some significant problem or a minor problem, it usually involves some lab testing.” added Cummins.
Gadeken tells homeowners who purchased possibly infected plants to judge based on a timeline.
“When did I buy that plant that we stuck in the yard? When did I buy that rhododendron, that azalea, that lilac? We put in a bunch of periwinkle, when did we put that in? If it was this past spring, that’s when you should say I’d rather have all the oak trees in Indiana than my one little plant. You take that plant, you double bag it, and then you put it in the trash,” said Gadeken.
The DNR has destroyed approximately 1500 rhododendrons thus far, and pulled another 1500 from stores.
If you are concerned that you may have an infected plant, contact the
DNR
or your local
Purdue Extension
office.
