{"id":25227,"date":"2023-08-09T09:00:10","date_gmt":"2023-08-09T13:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/?p=25227"},"modified":"2026-04-27T14:22:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T18:22:39","slug":"we-need-help-report-wilting-sassafras-trees-in-indiana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/fnr\/extension\/we-need-help-report-wilting-sassafras-trees-in-indiana\/","title":{"rendered":"We Need Your Help, Report Wilting Sassafras Trees in Indiana!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Sassafras<\/a>Starting in 2019, sassafras trees began wilting and dying in southern Indiana. It was originally thought that laurel wilt, a deadly disease in the southeastern U.S., had made its way to Indiana. However, neither the fungus responsible for causing laurel wilt nor its beetle vector were recovered from wilting trees at the time. A potentially novel fungus was recovered, as well as two invasive\u00a0ambrosia beetle species. Invasive insects, particularly bark and ambrosia beetles are well-known carriers of devastating disease-causing fungi. Dutch elm disease is one of the most famous examples of a beetle-transmitted disease.<\/p>\n

Sassafras trees are an important understory tree that aids in nutrient cycling and are important food sources for deer and rabbit populations in the winter months. They are also important to native butterfly populations like the Swallowtail butterfly, that uses sassafras as a host. At this time, we do not know what is killing our native sassafras trees or the range of impacted trees. This is a problem because if we do not know what is causing wilt or where trees are wilting, then we cannot work to identify ways to protect our native sassafras trees.<\/p>\n

How to Identify Sassafras<\/strong>
\nSassafras has three distinct leaf shapes. See ID That Tree: Sassafras<\/a> to learn how to identify the Sassafras tree.<\/p>\n

\"Sassafras<\/a>Wilting Sassafras<\/strong>
\nWilting symptoms happen in late summer. Leaves turn brown, wilt and droop. Other symptoms of wilt can be canopy dieback, “noodles” from beetle activity and staining under the bark. To learn more and how you can help as scientists research what may be happening, view video: Emerging Sassafras Wilt in Indiana.<\/p>\n

We need more help in identifying locations of wilting sassafras trees. We anticipate trees to start wilting towards the end of the summer, from late July through September. If you see any wilting or dying sassafras trees, please email sassafras.wilt@gmail.com<\/a> to report it. You can also use the QR code on the bottom of the attached handout.<\/p>\n

Resources:
\n<\/strong>Report Invasive Species<\/a>, Purdue Invasive Species
\n<\/strong>ID That Tree:\u00a0Sassafras<\/a>
\nID That Tree:\u00a0Sassafras Spring Bloom Edition<\/a>
\nMorton Arboretum:\u00a0Sassafras<\/a>
\nSassafras<\/a>, Purdue Fort Wayne Native Trees of Indiana River Walk
\nID That Tree Spring Bloom Editions<\/a>, Got Nature Blog
\nHardwood Lumber and Veneer Series:\u00a0Sassafras<\/a>, The Education Store
\nPurdue Arboretum Explorer<\/a>
\nThe Woody Plant Seed Manual<\/a>, U.S. Forest Service
\nNative Trees of the Midwest<\/a>, The Education Store
\nShrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest<\/a>, The Education Store
\nInvesting in Indiana Woodlands<\/a>, The Education Store
\nForest Improvement Handbook<\/a>, The Education Store
\nID That Tree<\/a>, Purdue Extension-Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube playlist
\nWoodland Management Moment\u00a0<\/a>, Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube playlist
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Olivia Bigham<\/a>, Graduate Student
\nPurdue Forestry and Natural Resources & Hardwood Tree Improvement & Regeneration Center (HTIRC)<\/p>\n

Matt Ginzel<\/a>, Associate Professor
\nPurdue Forestry and Natural Resources & Department of Entomology<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Starting in 2019, sassafras trees began wilting and dying in southern Indiana. It was originally thought that laurel wilt, a deadly disease in the southeastern U.S., had made its way to Indiana. However, neither the fungus responsible for causing laurel wilt nor its beetle vector were recovered from wilting trees at the time. A potentially […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38,42,80,54],"tags":[60,1560,1173,408,72,1819],"class_list":["post-25227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-alert","category-forestry","category-trees","category-wildlife","tag-forestry","tag-purdue-forestry-and-natural-resources","tag-sassafras","tag-trees","tag-wildlife","tag-wilting","audience-for-enthusiasts","audience-for-homeowners","audience-for-landowners","audience-for-professionals"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t