Laurel wilt is a destructive disease of multiple species of trees and shrubs in the laurel family (Lauraceae). The disease is caused by a non-native fungus (Raffaelea lauricola) that infects the sapwood of host trees, resulting in a restriction of water flow and causing the leaves to rapidly wilt as the tree dies. This fungus is carried by a non-native insect, the redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus or RAB), which was first detected in the United States near Savannah, Georgia, in 2002. Laurel wilt was first documented in Florida in 2005, and by 2017 it had caused widespread mortality of susceptible tree and shrub species in every county in the state.
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Laurel Wilt Distribution Map
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Laurel Wilt Leaflet
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