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 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.

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

The best control for lichens is improving the soil culture and maximizing air movement around the plants and trees. Pruning to increase air movement will help dry the soil.