Texas Live Oak Tree Diseases Pictures

Texas oak wilt is the most devastating tree disease affecting live oaks and red oaks in central texas and it s killing our valuable oak trees at epidemic proportions.

Texas live oak tree diseases pictures.

The foliage of infected texas red oaks turns pale green then yellow and finally brown. The surface of the leaves will look blistered hence the name. Oak tree blister can be detected on the top and bottom of the tree s leaves. On the other side of the leaf it will look gray colored but as the disease gets worse it will turn brown.

Oak root fungus armillaria mellea is a major concern for live oaks in the southwest. Post oak is rarely affected. 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. Vascular diseases oak wilt fungus ceratocystis fagacearum all species of oaks are susceptible.

The live oak tree is susceptible to a few diseases. Swamp chestnut oak overcup oak and live oak. The use of horticultural oil is a safer alternative to insecticides for spraying upward into a large tree. However texas red oak and live oaks in the hill country and south central areas are the most commonly affected.

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. This may take from five to ten years on live oaks but less on other oaks after the first visual symptoms are observed. The causal organisms of root rot in oak tree are fungi parasitic algae and water molds. Armillaria root rot this fungal disease infects and kills cambial tissue causing the death of the trunk near the ground and the major roots.

Oak wilt is one of the most destructive tree diseases having killed more than 1 million trees in central texas. In other words the result is a weakened starch depleted tree with poor growth making it predisposed to diseases and pests that normally do them no harm. The fungus attacks healthy trees by spreading from infected nearby tree roots. Branches begin dying near the top of the tree.

Perhaps you have seen diseased red oak trees from a distance. Insecticides fungicides to control oak insect pests diseases. Oak root and butt rot. In similar types of oak decline worldwide research verifies the same patterns and causes as those occurring with the texas post oak mortality problem.

Chemical control of diseases and insects on large trees is usually not feasible since adequate coverage of the foliage with a pesticide cannot be achieved. The most common oak disease found in texas trees is called oak wilt.