Forest Health Protection, Southern Region


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USDA Forest Service Forest Health Protection Region 8 1720 Peachtree Road, NW Room 816 N Atlanta, GA 30309 Phone: (404) 347-7478 Fax: (404) 347-1880

Laurel Wilt - Host Identification

In North America , laurel wilt has only been observed in woody plants of the family Lauraceae. The laurel wilt pathogen has been recovered from diseased plants of the following species in the field :

Redbay, Persea borbonia (L.) Spreng. (Fraedrich et al. 2008)
Swampbay, Persea palustris (Raf.) Sarg. (Fraedrich et al. 2008)
Avocado, Persea americana Mill. (Mayfield et al. 2008b)
Sassafras, Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees (Fraedrich et al. 2008, Smith et al. 2009)
Pondspice, Litsea aestivalis (L.) Fernald (Fraedrich et al. 2008)
Pondberry, Lindera melissifolia (Walter) Blume (Fraedrich et al. 2008)
Camphor, Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J. Presl (Smith et al. 2009)

Redbay and swampbay are broadleaved, evergreen, typically small to medium-sized trees limited to the southeastern Atlantic Coastal Plain region of the U.S. Some taxonomists do not consider redbay and swampbay distinct species, and these species in combination with silkbay ( Persea borbonia (L.) Spreng. var. humilis (Nash) L.E. Kopp) are sometimes referred to collectively as “redbay.”

Descriptions and images of confirmed hosts of laurel wilt under field conditions are located at the following links. Images of selected laurel wilt host plants also are posted on the Photo Gallery on this website.