One of Yorktown”™s official Christmas trees is being removed down after being diagnosed with a disease.
An arborist diagnosed the tree at the John C. Hart Memorial Library with spruce canker, a common disease of spruce trees created by drought, winter injury, insect feeding or other factors. The disease, formally known as cytospora canker, rarely kills spruce trees but can badly deform their appearance.
While the disease is common on large mature trees, the Yorktown tree was planted last October. Disease spores can be spread by wind and insects to other trees, and the town”™s official opted to remove the tree.
“Our poor Christmas tree is on its last legs,” said Supervisor Tom Diana. “We”™re most likely planting another tree in its place because this one is not going to make it. But we will be having the tree lighting there again this year.”
