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My magnolia tree has a black film over it. It looks like it was set on fire but wasn't. Treatment?

I was gone for two wks. When I returned, I thought someone had tried to burn down my magnolia tree, but determined that it had some kind of fungus or mold or bacteria on it. What is it and how do I treat it?

It may be sooty mold. Test by seeing if you can wipe it off.

To take care of the problem, spray the entire tree with a blast of water (but not so hard it rips or damages leaves and stems). Rain will continue to wash off the mold.

You will also want to take care of the root of the problem, which is a sugary sap left by insects that are feeding on the plant. (The sooty mold then grows in the sap they leave behind.) One solution is to use a general purpose insecticide that specifies control of the insects likely to leave behind the sap--aphids, mealybugs, scales, or whiteflies. Follow package directions exactly.