Lichens are not harmful to plants, but there may be times when it makes sense to remove them. Here's how to spot them.

Insuring plant health and vigorous growth is the best way to control lichens. Poorly growing and declining plants often succumb to lichen growth as they decline.

If practical, the lichen affected limbs or twigs can be pruned out to stimulate new growth. Plant vigor is the best way to control lichens. Poorly growing and declining plants often succumb to ...

If you remove what’s stressing your trees and shrubs, the lichens will go away, and the plant’s overall health will improve. A fungicide containing copper can also be applied to aid in control.

In these circumstances the growth of lichen in particular is often unjustly blamed for the poor condition of an affected plant, trees and shrubs which have been neglected.

The best control for lichens is cultural controls. Try to minimize the moisture in the soil and air around the plants and trees. Pruning to increase air movement will help dry the soil.

When people notice lichens on their trees, shrubs and other plants, they become concerned that they have problems. But they shouldn’t worry, says LSU AgCenter plant scientist Raj Singh.

Do you have trees or shrubs with trunks and branches covered with gray-green crusty growths? These growths — called lichens — are harmless and do not cause plants' poor growth or decline ...

We tend to notice lichens more in winter when plants are bare. Most people believe lichens are diseases which have killed or are killing their plants.

As we move into the summer, it's important to keep an eye on flowerbeds, shrubs and vines that are growing too large or too crowded. Lots of plants have grown enthusiastically since last spring.

Presently, no pesticides are registered for the control of lichens commonly found on the twigs and branches of shrubs and trees.