Yahoo! News - USDA moves to protect nation's trees from 'sudden death' syndrome

Yahoo! News - USDA moves to protect nation's trees from 'sudden death' syndrome: "Sudden oak death syndrome is known to scientists as Phytophtora ramorum, Greek for 'destroyer of plants.' The diseases' characteristic bleeding bark cankers have killed tens of thousands of oaks on the West Coast. In other species, it causes leaf spots and twig cankers, weakening and sometimes killing them"

As if we needed more to worry about. It could be teh American Chestnut all over again. Scary stuff!

"Sudden oak death syndrome first emerged in California in 1995, but it has since been found in 22 states. Scientists say it may have come to North America from Asia but don't know for certain. What they do know is it must be stopped.


"The entire East Coast is potentially at risk," says Matteo Garbelotto of the University of California-Berkeley, who first isolated the disease along with David Rizzo of the University of California-Davis.""



"The disease affects not only oaks but also 46 species including rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas and lilacs."