beech leaf disease
(Litylenchus crenatae mccannii)
This species is Introduced in the United States
Please note: As of December 2017, this is a new disease – information is evolving
Major Hosts: American beech (Fagus grandifolia), European beech (Fagus sylvatica), and Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis)
Key Features: Disease: Beech leaf disease (BLD) is a disease caused by an invasive nematode . It was first reported in 2012 in Lake Metroparks (Cleveland, OH area), and as of February 2023 it had also been reported in Northeastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, southeastern Michigan, northeastern Virginia, New York, New Jersey, New England, and Ontario, Canada.
Symptoms: The disease is expressed primarily in two different ways: (1) intense greening of the leaf areas between the veins; and (2) crinkling and thickening of the leaves, so that the feel to the touch changes from paper-thin in fresh, healthy leaves, to thick and leathery in the crinkling stage. The disease can also affect the leaf buds, so that in the spring the buds appear desiccated and can fall off the twig. The disease has been observed killing mostly small trees and saplings while causing overall decline, but lately also death of larger or more mature trees.
Control/Management: No control/management recommendations can be provided at this time. However, the precautionary principle suggests that it would not be a good idea to move any symptomatic plant material (leaves, twigs, buds, etc.) outside of an area of infestation.
Major Hosts: American beech (Fagus grandifolia), European beech (Fagus sylvatica), and Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis)
Key Features: Disease: Beech leaf disease (BLD) is a disease caused by an invasive nematode . It was first reported in 2012 in Lake Metroparks (Cleveland, OH area), and as of February 2023 it had also been reported in Northeastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, southeastern Michigan, northeastern Virginia, New York, New Jersey, New England, and Ontario, Canada.
Symptoms: The disease is expressed primarily in two different ways: (1) intense greening of the leaf areas between the veins; and (2) crinkling and thickening of the leaves, so that the feel to the touch changes from paper-thin in fresh, healthy leaves, to thick and leathery in the crinkling stage. The disease can also affect the leaf buds, so that in the spring the buds appear desiccated and can fall off the twig. The disease has been observed killing mostly small trees and saplings while causing overall decline, but lately also death of larger or more mature trees.
Control/Management: No control/management recommendations can be provided at this time. However, the precautionary principle suggests that it would not be a good idea to move any symptomatic plant material (leaves, twigs, buds, etc.) outside of an area of infestation.
Selected Images
Invasive Listing Sources
Taxonomic Rank
| Domain: Eukarya |
| Kingdom: Animalia |
| Phylum: Nematoda |
| Class: Chromodorea |
| Order: Tylenchida |
| Family: Anguinidae |
| Genus: Litylenchus |
| Species: Litylenchus crenatae |
| Litylenchus crenatae mccannii |