What are the most common tree diseases in the Bay Area?

The ones our crews see weekly in San Mateo County: Sudden oak death - trunk bleeding and fast crown decline in coast live oaks and tanoaks; spread from nearby bay laurel; no cure once infected, preventable on healthy trees Pitch canker - Monterey pines: dieback of branch tips, resin bleeding; widespread in the fog belt Cypress canker - aging Monterey cypress: flagging orange-brown branches Root rot (Armillaria and Phytophthora) - the classic disease of oaks surrounded by irrigated lawns; mushrooms at the base are the late-stage tell General decline in over-mature eucalyptus - not a pathogen, but the failure pattern behaves like one Early diagnosis changes the outcome: a stressed tree can often be treated or managed, a hidden-decay tree needs a risk decision before winter wind makes it. One assessment visit tells you what your trees actually have - and what is not worth worrying about.

The ones our crews see weekly in San Mateo County:

Sudden oak death – trunk bleeding and fast crown decline in coast live oaks and tanoaks; spread from nearby bay laurel; no cure once infected, preventable on healthy trees
Pitch canker – Monterey pines: dieback of branch tips, resin bleeding; widespread in the fog belt
Cypress canker – aging Monterey cypress: flagging orange-brown branches
Root rot (Armillaria and Phytophthora) – the classic disease of oaks surrounded by irrigated lawns; mushrooms at the base are the late-stage tell
General decline in over-mature eucalyptus – not a pathogen, but the failure pattern behaves like one

Early diagnosis changes the outcome: a stressed tree can often be treated or managed, a hidden-decay tree needs a risk decision before winter wind makes it. One assessment visit tells you what your trees actually have – and what is not worth worrying about.