Homeowners in Florida know the value of shade trees; hickory trees offer great shade but have increasingly been afflicted by hickory anthrocnose. Hickory anthrocnose, otherwise known as leaf spot, is caused by a fungal infection during the upcoming wet summer months in Florida. The disease is often accompanied by large reddish brown spots on upper leaf surfaces and brownish spots on the bottom of the leaves. To help prevent leaf spot, be sure to rake and remove leaves close to the trunk of the tree.
If the infection persists, remember to Google your local UF:IFAS Extension agent to set up a site visit; they firmly believe that saving a tree is time well spent. Additionally, they would like to state that “When in doubt give our trees the benefit and keep them in place.”1