Laurel Wilt: Critical Threat to Atlanta's Sassafras Trees

What Is Laurel Wilt?

CRITICAL ALERT: Laurel wilt is an invasive, lethal vascular disease caused by the fungus Raffaelea lauricola, which is carried and transmitted by the redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus), an invasive insect from Asia. The disease has been confirmed in Georgia and poses an existential threat to sassafras and other members of the laurel family throughout the Atlanta region. Unlike most tree diseases, laurel wilt kills healthy, vigorous trees — no amount of good care provides protection once the beetle and fungus arrive.

How to Identify Laurel Wilt

Laurel wilt progresses with devastating speed:

• Rapid canopy wilting: The entire crown of a sassafras tree wilts and turns brown within days to weeks. There is no gradual decline — the transition from healthy to dead is shockingly fast.
• Sapwood staining: Peeling bark from affected branches or trunks reveals dark brown to black streaking in the sapwood, indicating the fungus has invaded the water-conducting vessels.
• Ambrosia beetle evidence: Tiny pencil-like tubes of compacted frass (sawdust) protrude from pinhole-sized entry holes on the trunk. These are created by the redbay ambrosia beetle as it bores into the wood to cultivate the fungus.
• Indiscriminate mortality: Unlike stress-dependent diseases, laurel wilt kills sassafras trees of all sizes, ages, and health conditions.

Treatment & Response

There is currently no proven, scalable treatment for laurel wilt. Management efforts focus on slowing the spread:

• Report suspected cases: If you suspect laurel wilt on any sassafras tree in the Atlanta area, report it immediately to the Georgia Forestry Commission. Early detection of new infection fronts is critical for regional management.
• Do not move firewood: The ambrosia beetle can survive in cut wood. Never transport sassafras or other laurel-family wood from one location to another. Buy firewood locally and burn it where you buy it.
• Remove and destroy infected trees: Chip infected wood on site to destroy beetle habitat. Do not stockpile logs or move them off the property.
• Research treatments: Propiconazole trunk injections have shown some promise in research settings, but effectiveness on sassafras in landscape settings is not yet established.

When to Call an Arborist

If any sassafras tree on your property shows rapid wilting or you notice small frass tubes on the trunk, contact an ISA-certified arborist immediately. Laurel wilt is a reportable disease, and confirmed cases help state agencies track the spread of this devastating pathogen. EastLake Tree Services can perform on-site assessment, coordinate with state agencies, and manage safe removal of infected trees. Call 404-850-1174 or request a free quote.