A Technical Report from The Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories
Laurel wilt is a vascular wilt disease caused by an invasive fungus that affects members of the plant family Lauraceae. This plant family includes redbay, swampbay, sassafras, and avocado. In susceptible plants, the disease disrupts the water-conducting tissue, leading to rapid wilting and death. This disease was first detected in 2002 near Port Wentworth, GA, and has since spread rapidly across the southeastern United States.