Located in the very heart of Denver Botanic Gardens, the Steppe Garden generates much curiosity and interest. The garden, along with the monumental volume “Steppes: The Plants and Ecology of the World’s Semiarid Region” written by Gardens staff members, has elevated awareness of the importance of steppe regions around the world. The Steppe Summit brings researchers and gardeners from far corners of the steppe to Denver, providing a powerful and fresh perspective on our native ecosystem.</p> This year, three speakers have flown from Eurasia to join with Mike Bone, curator of steppe collections at Denver Botanic Gardens. Each has produced ambitious books filled with unique photographs featuring hundreds of spectacular wildflowers, most of which would thrive in Denver with little or no supplemental irrigation.</p> </p> Rocky Mountain Steppe Summit </strong></h3> Saturday, Sept. 15, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.</strong> Join the Gardens for its second annual Rocky Mountain Steppe Summit, featuring four leading speakers on the steppe regions. Learn about Denver’s unique ecosystem – one of the steppe regions of the world. $69 PUBLIC, $62 MEMBER, $36 STUDENT (lunch is on your own)</p> Get Tickets</a></p> Speaker Lineup</strong></h3> Silk Road Flora</strong> Christopher Martin Gardner See some of the most beautiful wildflowers on the planet during this session. Chris is an Essex, England-born horticulturist who leads tours in the various Steppe regions – including Turkey, Central Asia, China, Chile, Morocco, Borneo – and lives in Turkey. He received a bachelor of science degree in horticulture from Reading University, England and spent fifteen years as a professional horticulturist and garden designer. He co-authored “The Plant Hunters” and “The Flowers of the Silk Road.”</p> The Tian Shan</strong> Vojtech Holubec Learn about Tian Shan, a 1,000 mile long mountain range in the border region of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Xinjiang in northwest China. Peaks reach more than 20,000 feet high. The flora is unique and full of choice endemics and the climate is similar to the Rocky Mountains. Vojtech co-authored the first ambitious book on this range that is being published right before the Symposium takes place. Agricultural botanist and plant geneticist by education, Vojtech is the director of the Czech Gene Bank for agricultural crops, working on projects dealing with crop wild relatives and plant conservation.</p> The Beauty Slope</strong> Zdenek Zvolanek This session covers lessons on growing steppe plants in a home landscape. Zdenek’s home garden in Karlik near Prague, Czech Republic, requires no irrigation and features Mediterranean and steppe climate plants that thrive on the challenging southern exposure. Zdenek is credited as one of the originators of the Czech crevice gardens style and has built gardens across North America, Scandinavia, Germany, England and the Czech Republic.</p> In Steppe with Lesotho</strong> Mike Bone This session summarizes the last two years of field work in the highest mountain kingdom of Africa, where the native vegetation is poorly studied. Mike, curator of steppe collections at Denver Botanic Gardens, documented new locations of Aloe polyphylla</em> on these trips—the spectacular official flower of Africa’s Kingdom. Mike led two exploratory trips to Kazakhstan and Mongolia and has been on two collecting trips to Lesotho, South Africa. He spent part of the last two winters with Munich Botanic Garden and the Katse Botanic Garden to teach propagation techniques to local horticulturists.</p> </p>
We often think about the rose as a focal point of gardens in spring and summer, however sometimes we forget that late summer and early fall are some of the best times to enjoy their great displays of flowers, even though they are not blooming as prolifically as they do in the spring.</p> Under our harsh mid-summer weather conditions, hot temperatures, dryness and the stress of strong sunlight, the colors of the flowers may fade. And the Japanese beetles feast on our roses from late spring to mid-summer, causing damage to some of the blooms. The absence of these conditions can make later in the summer a delightful time to see the roses!</p> During the cooler weather in early fall (especially morning and evening), the color of the flowers intensifies as it is meant to do. When our horticulturists identify a rose by its flowers, fall is the best season to do so.</p> Some of the more popular modern roses we see in the Gardens today are shrub roses, such as Floribunda, English rose and hardy Canadian rose. They were cultivated to have a longer blooming season from spring to fall, a greater variety of colors and compact sizes, and cold hardiness and disease resistance habits. These better accommodate our sustainable ways of Western gardening.</p> Be sure to see the displays of roses in the Ellipse garden and the Romantic Gardens on your next visit.</p>
The verdict is in: Here are our research team’s favorite botanical finds along the High Line Canal!</p> If you’ve ever spent time on the High Line Canal Trail, you may be familiar with some of the common trees and shrubs. Maybe you’ve walked beneath the snowy arms of the cottonwood trees (Populus </em>sp.), ridden your bike past a stand of American plums (Prunus americana</em>) or marveled at the beautiful chokecherry blossoms (Prunus virginiana</em>) while out for a run. And it’s no wonder; these larger species are hard to miss!</p> But good things come in small packages, too. More than 30 days of botanical fieldwork on the High Line Canal has revealed many interesting native species that are easily overshadowed by their taller neighbors. Here are five such treasures to search for on your next visit to the Canal Trail.</p> Smilax lasioneura</em> (Blue Ridge carrionflower), Smilacaceae (catbrier family)</strong></h3> Distribution and habitat</em>: The Blue Ridge carrionflower is distributed across the central plains as far west as Montana. In Colorado, it is found in only a few counties along the eastern foothills of the Front Range. Its habitat includes forests and shaded slopes as well as open areas such as old pastures. Our research team found it growing along the High Line Canal on a shady slope near Waterton Canyon.</p> Fun facts</em>: As the name “carrionflower” suggests, the flowers smell like rotting flesh and attract flies, which act as pollinators. It is dioecious, which means the male and female flowers are found on two different plants (dioecious is derived from the Greek word “-oikos” which means home, and “di-“, which is Latin for two).</p> Etymology</em>: Lasioneura</em> is derived from “lasios”, which is Greek for hairy, and “neur”, which is Greek for nerve or vein. This name describes the hairy veins on the undersides of the leaves.</p> Ethnobotany</em>: The Blue Ridge carrionflower provides food for wildlife and, in some regions, domestic stock. The seeds were occasionally used by Native Americans as decorative beads, and the woody roots were used to make a brown dye or carved into pipes.</p> Quick guide</em>:</p> Unarmed (lacking thorns) perennial vine that climbs using tendrils</li> Large heart- or oval-shaped leaves that are slightly hairy on the underside</li> Small green flowers in a round, golf ball-sized umbel (a cluster of flowers attached to the stem at the same point)</li> Dark blue-black berries</li> </ul> Ipomoea leptophylla</em> (bush morning glory), Convolvulaceae (morning glory family)</strong></h3> Distribution and habitat</em>: Bush morning glory is native to the mixed-grass prairies of the Great Plains, and it is common in the Eastern Plains of Colorado. Our research team has found it in several places along the High Line Canal, from near Chatfield State Park in Littleton to Green Valley Ranch in northeast Denver.</p> Fun facts</em>: Another common name is manroot because its roots grow deep into the dry prairie soil in search of water. The massive taproot can grow up to 10 feet long and 6-24 inches wide! This extensive root system is used to store water and nutrients, which help the bush morning glory survive drought and live for as long as 50 years.</p> Etymology</em>: Ipomoea</em> is Greek for "worm-like", referring to the viney, twining habit of many other Ipomoea</em> species (but not this one). Leptophylla</em> is derived from the Greek words “leptos”, meaning delicate or slender, and "phyllos", which means leaves.</p> Ethnobotany</em>: Native Americans had several purposes for the large root. It was burned and the smoke was said to alleviate nervousness or bad dreams. It was also scraped and eaten raw as a gastrointestinal aid to relieve stomach problems or roasted and used as a starvation food source. This particular use is not surprising, as it is in the same genus as the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas</em>).</p> Quick guide</em>:</p> Bushy perennial that can grow 1-4 feet tall and up to 5 feet wide</li> Narrow green leaves that tend to grow on the same side of a yellow-green stem</li> Large, showy funnel-shaped pink-purple flowers</li> </ul> Sphaeralcea coccinea</em> (scarlet globemallow), Malvaceae (mallow family)</strong></h3> Distribution and habitat</em>: Scarlet globemallow is found in dry areas of the Intermountain West, the Great Basin, the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains. It is extremely drought-tolerant and grows in desert, semi-desert and prairie habitats, as well as roadsides and disturbed areas. Although our research team has found it in several places along the High Line Canal Trail, it is not abundant, so you’ll have to look carefully to find this lovely native flower!</p> Fun facts</em>: The flowers and leaves of scarlet globemallow provide food for many wild animals, including pronghorn antelope, deer, bighorn sheep, bison, prairie dogs and jack rabbits, as well as domestic sheep. Livestock will also eat the plants when grasses are dormant.</p> Etymology</em>: Sphaeralcea</em> is derived from the Greek "sphaira", which means globe (referring to the shape of the fruits) and “alcea”, which refers to the mallow family. Coccinea</em> is Latin for "scarlet".</p> Ethnobotany</em>: There are several uses for scarlet globemallow, including as a tonic to improve appetite. The chewed roots and dried leaves can also be applied to sores as a disinfectant.</p> Quick guide</em>:</p> Small perennial wildflower that only grows 4-16 inches tall</li> Lobed leaves that are densely covered with stellate (starburst) hairs, giving a grayish-green frosted appearance</li> Deep orange to orange-pink flowers with a yellow column in the center</li> </ul> Argemone polyanthemos</em> (crested prickly-poppy), Papaveraceae (poppy family)</strong></h3> Distribution and habitat</em>: Although the crested prickly-poppy’s native range extends from the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains to the central and western Great Plains, it has been introduced in several adjacent regions, including west of the Rockies. It grows in sandy or gravelly soils in prairies, foothills, and mesas, as well as disturbed areas like roadsides or fields. During the summer, the brilliant white flowers are easy to spot! Look on the side of the High Line Canal Trail opposite the canal in sandy areas.</p> Fun facts</em>: All Argemone</em> species have a milky sap that ranges in color from white to reddish-orange; the sap of the crested prickly-poppy is bright yellow. Plants often use sap as a deterrent to avoid being eaten.</p> Etymology</em>: Argemone</em> stems from the Greek word "argemos", a white spot or cataract on the eye, which the plant was used to treat. "Poly" means "many", and "anthemos” refers to the pollen-containing structures, called anthers.</p> Ethnobotany</em>: Although all parts of this plant are poisonous, it was once used to treat cataracts.</p> Quick guide</em>:</p> Deep-rooted annual or biennial that grows 1-3 feet tall</li> Pale blue-green leaves with spines along the veins on the undersides</li> Showy white poppy-looking flowers with yellow centers</li> Broken stems ooze a bright yellow sap</li> </ul> Abronia fragrans</em> (snowball sand verbena), Nyctaginaceae (four o’clock family)</strong></h3> Distribution and habitat</em>: Snowball sand verbena is distributed in the shortgrass prairie of the western Great Plains and at lower elevations of the Southern Rocky Mountains as far west as Utah. It grows in desert, grassland, pinyon-juniper and ponderosa pine communities. Our research team has found it in multiple places along the High Line Canal Trail, and it is abundant in sandy areas near Chatfield State Park.</p> Fun facts</em>: Like many other members of the four o’clock family, the flowers of the snowball sand verbena open in the evening and close again in the morning.</p> Etymology</em>: Abronia</em> is from the Greek word "abros", which means delicate. Fragrans</em> is Latin for "fragrant”, referring to the sweet-smelling flowers.</p> Ethnobotany</em>: Snowball sand verbena has been used medicinally and for food. Native Americans of the Southwest use the plant to treat insect bites, sores, and stomachaches, and the roots can be ground up and eaten in a mixture with corn flour.</p> Quick guide</em>:</p> Sweet-smelling white flowers that form a spherical umbel (a round cluster of flowers attached to the same point on the stem)</li> Stems that sprawl on the ground before growing upright</li> Sticky, oval-shaped leaves</li> </ul> </p> This blog post was written by Audrey Dignan, seasonal botanist in the Research & Conservation Department.</em></p>
</p> While Colorado is known for its seemingly endless sunshine, cool nights, and dry, breezy air, those of us who live here know that the weather can vary greatly from morning to evening, or even hour to hour, on any day of the year. Since many of our clients book their weddings in our beautiful outdoor spaces 12-18 months in advance, they never know what Mother Nature is going to provide for their big day! Fortunately, with a spirit of adventure, a bit of flexibility and a little advance planning, there are ways to work around our wild Colorado weather.</p> As you begin to plan the timeline of your ceremony, cocktail hour and reception, it’s important to think about how rain or bad weather might affect the flow of your event. For example, if it is raining before your ceremony, do you have enough cushion in the timeline that you can delay? How long of a delay is acceptable before you have to either proceed in the rain or find an indoor option?</p> Another option we’ve seen couples choose on bad weather days is to rearrange the event to allow weather to pass. Is it possible to move your cocktail hour up to buy some time before the ceremony? This way, your guests can mix and mingle before the ceremony, and no one feels like they are waiting around.</p> Don’t just think about the rain! Summer days in Denver can swelter into the 90s on many afternoons, and our high-altitude sunshine will crisp up your guests in no time at all. Can you provide fans or a bit of shade while your guests are waiting for the ceremony to begin? Would they appreciate a mini bottle of water during lengthy ceremonies? If you plan to be outside for a long time, suggest sunscreen and sunglasses in your invitation so guests don’t take home a sunburn as a souvenir from your wedding.</p> The possibility of less than perfect weather is an inherent risk for any outdoor event, especially if your date is during monsoon season or a shoulder season where cold snaps are still a very real possibility. No one wants to plan for the worst: but we assure you, if you take some time early in the planning process to think about what the weather may throw at you, you’ll thank yourselves later when you don’t have to come up with a plan on the spot.</p> Our Venue Sales team is happy to talk through potential weather back-ups with you as you plan your big day at the Gardens. To set up a tour appointment, contact us at private.events@botanicgardens.org</a> or call 720-865-3551.</p> Photo courtesy of Newell Jones + Jones Photography</em></p>
My name is Dan Auerbach and I’m from Philadelphia, PA. I have one year left at Temple University to earn my bachelor’s degree in horticulture. I was fortunate enough to receive the Propagation, Production and Seed Herbarium Maintenance Internship at Denver Botanic Gardens for the summer.</p> I have visited Colorado several times before, but had never been to the Gardens. The Gardens is incredible, and my first impression was that it all seemed too good to be true. Ten weeks of horticulture at one of the most prestigious botanic gardens in the world! I was excited, but still unaware of the full scope of experiences that I was in for.</p> My horticultural mentor, Senior Horticulturist and Head Propagator Katy Wieczorek, filled me in on the details of the project I would be working on for the summer. It was extensive and had multiple components but can be generalized as a seed germination experiment dealing only with native Colorado species. I would be researching and evaluating the effects of seed pre-treatments on germination.</p> I began by selecting over 180 native Colorado plant species that the Gardens currently had seed of. These species were selected based upon several conditions: plants that had previously existed in the Gardens, are currently in the Gardens but are old, or in the Gardens but in low population numbers. Each species was sown in two duplicate trays.</p> One tray received no pretreatment and the other was subject to pretreatment. Pretreatments included cold stratification (subjecting seeds to low temperatures for a certain period), various methods of scarification (weakening or breaking a seed coat) and imbibition (soaking seeds in water). Beyond my project, I also engaged in other aspects of the Gardens’ propagation efforts and operations, including propagation by cuttings, seed collection and integrated pest management. Katy is extremely knowledgeable, passionate and hard-working and happily shared her expertise with me.</p> In addition to working on interesting projects, we interns were given the royal treatment. Every Monday afternoon a different member of the horticulture staff would lead a plant families class and plant walk, followed by a workshop exploring topics like herbarium collections, orchid mounting and even public speaking with CEO Brian Vogt. Every Friday we took field trips to various points of horticultural interest around Colorado and even as far as Wyoming. Different horticulturists and horticulture staff members would chaperone and provide expert-level information regarding the plant life and ecosystem of the area. It was a privilege to experience these incredible places with the people who know them best.</p> Among my favorite of the trips were Pawnee Buttes with Senior Curator & Director of Outreach Panayoti Kelaidis and Associate Director of Horticulture Dan Johnson; Loveland Pass and Betty Ford Alpine Gardens with Curator of Alpine Collections Mike Kintgen and Horticulturist Amy Schneider; and Mount Goliath, again with Amy.</p> Not only did we learn about native plants in the field and the dynamics of stewarding the Gardens, were also introduced to other potential opportunities in horticulture. We were given private tours from the horticulturists that grow plants for animal exhibits and landscaping at the Denver Zoo, wholesale production at Welby Gardens nursery and learned about invertebrate gardening within the conservatory of The Butterfly Pavilion.</p> I am astounded by the level of which the Gardens’ staff went out of their way to educate as well as entertain us. I cannot say enough good things about them. Genuine, welcoming, positive, passionate, kind, knowledgeable, supportive—the list goes on. They were the real reason why this experience has been so incredible. Oh, and I should mention I got paid! Hard to believe, I know.</p> It is sad to think that my time here is ending, but I am sincerely grateful to Denver Botanic Gardens, my mentor Katy and all those who make the Gardens the special place that it is. This internship was genuinely one of the best experiences of my life.</p> Dan Auerbach has always had an appreciation for science and nature, so he registered as a biology major when he enrolled at Temple University. By the end of freshman year, his strong interest in plants made him switch his major to horticulture. He’s extremely grateful for this internship opportunity, which will help him to pursue a horticulture career in Colorado, where he plans to move after graduation. </em></p>
Annual Flowers Curiosities of the Gardens</h3> August, during the "dog days" of summer, is the perfect time to view all the fantastic annuals at Denver Botanic Gardens. During this time, annual flowers are at their peak, revealing their mature height and showy blossoms. This walking tour highlights some of the more unusual annuals the Gardens has to offer. These plants’ strange and odd qualities rival any shockingly bright blossom of a traditional annual flower.</p> Begin your walking tour at the lowest point in the Sensory Garden. Near the tranquil water feature, you will see a living wall that is planted with an array of plant delights. In these wooly pockets that allow one to plant vertically, you will find a peculiar annual flower. This yellow button-shaped blossom has a red spot on the top giving it the common name of eyeball plant. </em>What’s curious about this plant, Acmella oleracea</em>, is when the flower or leaves are chewed, it causes numbness in the mouth, and a tingling sensation on the tongue. It is an herbal remedy to treat toothaches, giving it another common name, toothache plant.</p> Look just below the row of toothache plants and rest your eyes on a pink powder-puff shaped flower. Something unexpected happens when you touch the green compound leaves of sensitive plant, or Mimosa pudica. </em>Also known as touch-me-not, it becomes “alive” and closes its leaves over the stem. This almost extraterrestrial movement is an example of plant adaptation to protect itself from environmental harm or from predators.</p> Now walk westward and find yourself outside on the plaza of Marnie’s Pavilion. Continue to walk west and find the walkway lined with citrus trees. Here the West Terrace planters are adorned with an annual flower display of warm tones of orange, burgundy and russet. Here you will find a bizarre specimen plant with jagged, silvery-green leaves holding bright orange spikes decorated with purple flowers. This Madagascar native is called Solanum pyracanthum, </em>or devil’s thorn. Its freakish display of armor reveals in the language of plants that it is poisonous.</p> Towards the northwest end of the planter, you will find a trailing vine with small insignificant white flowers. Cardiospermum halicacabum, </em>or love-in-a-puff, holds a secret surprise inside its papery round lanterns. Inside are three, dark bean-like seeds with a white heart-shaped spot on the top. The genus name Cardiospermum </em>is derived from the Greek language meaning “heart shaped”.</p> Now turn to the east and double back to end your walking tour at the Science Pyramid. Flanking the main entrance on the east side are clusters of container plantings full of wild and avant-garde annual flowers. It’s easy to spot the dark purple, almost comical inflorescence of Amarnthus tricolor, </em>also known by its common name elephant head amaranth. The flower head resembles an elephant with a protruding trunk. This modern day fetish for fertility, phallic in form, is said to bring quick pregnancy to a bride if carried in her wedding bouquet. Juxtaposed to the towering elephant head amaranth is A. caudatus </em>‘Dreadlocks.’ The exceptional inflorescence of this amaranth is aptly named as its fuzzy pink dreadlocks cascade to the ground.</p> These are just a small sample of the remarkable and unfamiliar annuals planted at Denver Botanic Gardens. These more obscure varieties are just waiting to be discovered. Perhaps you’ve been inspired to create your own garden of curiosities for next season.</p>
The Chinese side of the mighty Himalayas, especially in Yunnan province, is considered a global hot spot for the world’s flora.</p> Yunnan comprises 152,124 square miles compared to Colorado’s 104,185 square miles. The flora of Yunnan is reputed to have more than 18,000 species of plants, while Colorado has just more than 3,000 species. Much of this dramatic contrast is due to Yunnan’s position straddling the Tropic of Cancer—along its border with Thailand and Burma, Yunnan has a tropical rainforest. And the many high peaks in the very north of Yunnan are clad with glaciers and have true alpine tundra. A tremendous range of ecosystems are found between these extremes, and the fantastic topography leads to a great many microclimates that form an archipelago of sky islands which have fostered endemism much like the Galapagos and its finches.</p> Certain genera seem to have gone off the deep end. There are literally hundreds of species of Rhododendron</em> found in Yunnan, and more than 100 kinds of Primula</em> (compared to Colorado’s modest four kinds!).</p> For those of us who love mountain flowers, Yunnan is idyllic. The Chinese have even appropriated the name “Shangri-la” (from a mythical town in the Western Himalayas in an old best seller) and applied it to Zhongdian—the mountain town at the heart of the Three Parallel Rivers National Park, where the Salween, the Yangtze and the Mekong flow through parallel channels separated by enormous alpine ridges of the Hengduan Mountains.</p> Here, numerous roads fan out, with many passes exceeding 15,000 feet in elevation. We were surprised that hiking at that elevation didn’t seem to cause the shortness of breath one experiences in the Colorado Rockies. One hike took us to nearly 16,000 feet! Since tree line can extend above 14,000 feet you have to get well above this to find the flowery alpine meadows. I was shocked to find quite large rhododendrons growing at elevations higher than any mountains in Colorado.</p> There were many genera I had never seen before here, especially Saussurea</em>—the “snow lotus” that are harvested by the ton in the high Yunnanese Mountains. These incredible composites look more like corals or perhaps extraterrestrials than any daisy you might imagine. We found several species on steep screes, just coming into their wild and wooly full bloom.</p> Primulas came in every color imaginable, from the deep pinks and yellows one expects to dark purples and luminous lavender Primula zambalensis</em>.</p> Another genus that quickly became a favorite was Rheum</em>, which includes the rhubarb of our gardens. There was a half dozen or more kinds in the mountains here, two with the flowers hidden by enormous colorful bracts. Rheum nobile</em> only grew on steep slopes, on loose scree where it produces its spectacular flower stalk and then dies. Superficially similar, Rheum alexandrae</em> forms wide mats in wet areas near alpine lakes and streams, with similar spikes of flowers.</p> The genus Corydalis is pretty special in Colorado, where our Corydalis caseana </em>ssp. brandegei</em> is likely the largest species in this enormous genus. In China, the corydalis may be much smaller, but unbelievably variable in leaf and flower color. Many grew on steep screes, often with piercing azure flowers or deep maroon foliage. There were many in bright yellow as well. “Corydalis” was almost a battle cry on the mountain when someone found a new one and called everyone else to come see it.</p> We were blessed with more than two weeks of sunny, clear weather, which is not typical in the monsoon season. One rainy day at lower altitudes brought out leeches, which latched on to a few of us who hadn’t used DEET—a rather bloody and unpleasant experience! I can guarantee you we shall use DEET on future trips in leech country!</p> Sorting through thousands of digital images taken during the trip is a mixed experience. It’s wonderful to revisit China on the one hand, but seeking out names in numerous books and on the web is a bit of a chore!</p> And no matter how many pictures one takes, in retrospect I wish I’d taken even more.</p>
Every now and then, I come across a pear or apple tree that has small branches that look like they have been blasted by a torch. Fire blight, as this disease is known, is rampant, and can cause a lot of damage to many loved flowering trees.</p> Fire blight is a disease caused by Erwynia amylovora</em> – a bacteria that enters flowers and other openings of many pome fruit plants. These hosts, which are plants that can be infected with this disease, include susceptible varieties of pear (Pyrus </em>spp.); apple and crabapples (Malus </em>spp.); quince (Cydonia </em>spp.) and firethorn (Pyracantha </em>spp.). Depending on the severity of the disease, it can cause loss of twigs and fruit, branches or in severe cases, the death of the plant.</p> Fire blight is most easily recognized by the “shepherd’s crook” – a curling of the tip of small twigs – and the browning of foliage that looks like it’s been toasted over a flame. In larger branches, cankers develop, resulting in sunken areas along the surface under the bark. Come winter, the branches that have been infected remain attached, giving the tree the appearance of having been burnt in a fire.</p> In the spring, bacteria begin oozing from the cankers and previously infected areas. The bacteria enter the plant through small openings called stomates or through the flowers. Once inside, the bacteria begin to multiply, eventually killing the infected part of the plant.</p> Unfortunately, once a tree is infected with fire blight, it is very difficult to get complete control of this disease. Pruning six to twelve inches below the most visible point of the canker can help, but should be done in the winter, when the bacteria are dormant. It is also important to sanitize your tools while doing so, as the bacteria will transfer between cuts. To sanitize, use a common household cleaner in a 10% solution and wash your pruners off with the solution in between cuts.</p> Chemical controls are an option, but they are costly and less effective for homeowners. In a large orchard operation, they might be considered, but are not on smaller scales.</p> Fire blight is a complicated, frustrating disease to manage. With symptoms that look like a fire burned branches of trees, it causes unsightly damage that is hard to control. Fortunately, it only causes death in extreme infections and can be managed with a little winter management.</p>
