Lichen Growing on the Branches of Fruit Trees

As parasites, lichens may grow on fruit trees, where their greenish-yellow or gray color makes the trees' limbs or trunks look less than ideal. Lichens get their nutrients from the air, not the tree they grow on, and cause little harm to the fruit or the tree.

Types

• Lichens take three forms: crustoes, foliose and fruticose. Crustoes press closely against the surface of limbs or the trunk of either dead or live trees. Foliose lichens resemble leaves, and also stay tightly attached to the fruit tree. Fruticose lichens appear bushlike, and sometimes hang off branches or limbs.

Effects

• Sometimes lichens act as an indicator of a thin canopy. Since the parasites require photosynthesis to manufacture their own food, trees that let light through are more likely to share their trunks and limbs with lichens.

Prevention/Solution

• The best way to control lichens is to maintain and keep the fruit tree in good condition with a thick canopy. The thick canopy will help shade the limbs, preventing the lichens from growing.