Oh, another photo.

Looks like Nyssa sawfly damage.

Thanks. I did some checking online, but didn't have much luck turning up black gum-specific leaf disease photos. It's a nice tree, especially in spring and early summer. I tried for a decent variety in our yard. If it's blackgum sawfly, I may have to just overlook it.

If it's blackgum sawfly, I may have to just overlook it.

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no matter what it is.. you should overlook it.. its september.. and its a deciduous tree . the leaves will be falling off soon enough... i surely would waste money nor effort doing anything about it ...

some tree huggers might even suggest it would be polluting.. to spray chemicals this time of year.. when the bugs are probably gone anyway .... but in not a tree hugger.. so i wont mention it... lol ..

ken

Yes, it's too tall to manually pick larvae off, and I don't want to use a systemic pesticide on the root zone out of fear it'll poison the bloom nectar and kill bees next year. On the other hand, I discovered similar damage on a young 'Purple Robe' black locust I planted last spring, and some leaves folded and webbed shut as shelters for what I think are black locust sawfly larve (I checked online; there is such a thing). I killed several yesterday by mashing them.

It's been a fun year planting in the yard.