Dutch Elm Back in Minneapolis

Dutch elm disease is making a comeback in Minneapolis. Experts say Dutch elm, which peaked in Minneapolis in the late 1970s, could take its toll this year, because homeowners and municipalities are less aggressive in treating the disease. 

Last year 425 infected trees were marked with the tell-tale orange paint in Minneapolis. This year, more than 1,200 were painted. The city estimates more than 2,000 American Elm trees in Minneapolis are infected now — double the amount infected this time last year. 

Experts say this year's infections may be fueled by maturing trees and the presence of Siberian Elm trees, which can harbor the disease undetected for years. 

Dutch elm disease is a fungus carried by European beetles. The fungus attacks a tree's water-conducting vessels and can kill the tree within weeks. 

The disease peaked in Minneapolis in 1977 when more than 30,000 elm trees were destroyed.