Walking Stick Tree Dying
The disease that is attacking them is called eastern filbert blight which is a fungal type disease and not an insect problem.
Walking stick tree dying. Periodically the leaves on a branch turn brown and the branch it s on becomes brittle. This doesn t seem to be a widespread problem but it is happening. The trunks of twisted hazelnut trees contorted filbert trees grow to 10 or 15 feet 3 4 5 m tall and are so twisted that gardeners give the tree the nickname harry lauder s walking stick the branches are also uniquely curled and twisted. I have a lauder walking stick tree that seems to be under stress.
This species is sometimes called hercules club prickly ash or prickly elder common names it shares. This tree is slow growing so don t cut too much especially. It has also been known as angelica tree. Please see attached picture we ve pruned off the dead branches but it seems more and more are dying.
The other ornamental feature about the trees are the male catkins. Aralia spinosa commonly known as devil s walking stick is a woody species of plant in the genus aralia family araliaceae native to eastern north america the various names refer to the viciously sharp spiny stems petioles and even leaf midribs.