Central Texas Oak Tree Diseases

Red oaks are the most susceptible to oak wilt with white oaks being the most resistant.

Central texas oak tree diseases.

Oak wilt one of the most destructive tree diseases in the united states is killing oak trees in central texas at epidemic proportions. Hypoxylon canker on oak is a good example of tree resistance until some stress causes the disease to be lethal. It is a fungal vascular disease that clogs the water conducting system of a tree and shuts it down causing the infected tree to wilt and die. It can affect all types of oak trees but white oaks are the most resistant red oaks have the highest susceptibility and live oaks sit somewhere in the middle.

Although all oaks are vulnerable to this pathogen red oaks including texas oaks shumard oaks blackjack oaks and water oaks are the most at risk. Diseases leaf disease outbreaks across texas by james houser texas a m forest service oak wilt technical coordinator texas a m forest service austin. This may take from five to ten years on live oaks but less on other oaks after the first visual symptoms are observed. Among the most common tree diseases in the city oak wilt is probably the one that arborists see most frequently.

Post oaks can flourish and do well where most other trees would not survive. Pruning of limbs are a great method to prevent spread but if a canker occurs on the trunk it is better to remove the tree. There is no good chemical control of cankers. Perhaps you have seen diseased red oak trees from a distance.

The foliage of infected texas red oaks turns pale green then yellow and finally brown. If a post oak had a mission statement it would be to grow reproduce and defend itself from a hostile environment including pests and diseases. Oak wilt is one of the most destructive tree diseases having killed more than 1 million trees in central texas. Oak wilt is an infectious disease caused by the fungus ceratocystis fagacearum which invades and disables the water conducting system in susceptible trees.

Post oak is rarely affected. Bur oaks chinquapin oaks and mexican white oaks are all. However texas red oak and live oaks in the hill country and south central areas are the most commonly affected. One of the biggest threats to oak trees in texas is oak wilt an often deadly fungal disease which compromises the tree s ability to retain water.

In summer when a landscape should be rich green you may spot bright autumn colored foliage in the bunch. Live oak post oak water oak texas red oak willow oak sycamore persimmon winged elm hackberry american elm and western soapberry are reported to be hosts for oak decline. If successful it would become a slow growing medium size tree in the southwestern and south central united states. Continued leaf disease outbreaks across texas by james houser texas a m forest service oak wilt technical coordinator texas a m forest service austin.