Emerald Ash Borer

If you live in Lexington, you probably know why all those trees around town have green, plastic ties around their trunks. If you don't live in Lexington but are thinking about moving here, look at for those green tags and learn to identify an Ash tree. Sadly, our native Ash Trees will soon be the victim of the exotic and evil Emerald Ash Borer.

For the homeowner, this means that you may soon have the expense of treating any Ash trees on your property (estimates I've heard are $10 per inch of the trunks diameter) or losing your trees and paying for their removal. None of it's good. Most of the street and front yard trees around Lexington have now been marked by volunteers armed with green ties, but backyard trees would not be marked. If you aren't familiar with which tree is an ash, click on the title above and it'll take you to an Ash tree link which can help you identify them.

As a Buyer's agent, I'm schooling myself to readily recognize an ash trees for my buyers. While an ash tree wouldn't put me off buying a home I loved, I'd want to know what I'm in for and if I need to factor a tree removal and replacement or treatment into my cost of home ownership.