Coral Spot
Nectria cinnabarina
Fungus
Stems
Overview
A common fungal disease of woody plants that typically enters through dead wood or wounds, producing distinctive salmon-pink to coral-red cushion-like fruiting bodies on dead branches.
Symptoms
Salmon-pink to coral-red, cushion-like fruiting bodies (1-2mm) on dead bark and branch stubs. Branch dieback. Cankers on living wood in stressed plants. May cause death of small branches.
Environmental Conditions
Humid
Prevention
Remove dead wood promptly. Make clean pruning cuts. Avoid leaving branch stubs. Maintain plant vigor. Avoid wounding bark.
Management
Prune out dead and infected branches well below visible symptoms. Remove dead wood from the ground. Improve plant vigor. No chemical treatment usually necessary.