Controlling Lichens

Many homeowners are concerned about lichens growing on their tree limbs, branches, and even wood fencing. A lichen is a combination of an alga and a fungus growing together, each one helping the other. These combination plants can often attach themselves to the stem of plants, and particularly in moist locations exists there, and appear to be parasitizing the plant.

They are usually gray or greenish gray, they may be feathery or may be attached fairly closely to the stems or twigs, or in some cases have a ruffled type of growth. In some cases they will appear on leaves of plants. On the leaves, the growth is usually flat and closely attached to the upper surface of the leaf. Usually lichens are most prevalent on plants which are unthrifty for one reason or another.

Thus, the best method for controlling lichens is to keep the plants in a good growing condition. If they do occur, however, even on healthy plants, one or two applications of basic copper sulfate at 1½ - 2 tablespoons per gallon of water should give adequate control. It will take some time for the lichens to weather away even though they have been killed by the spray.

lichen