Old Red Oak Hasn't Shed Leaves - Is it Dead?

[Perk]

I live in Virginia, in the mountains, we are well into winter weather. I have an older Red Oak on the property (20"DBH) that has not shed its leaves, all the others have. The leaves are brown and dead, just like the leaves on the ground, but they are hanging on to the tree, even in rain and wind. Some of the Oaks here are slowly dying (is this what is called fade?) but that process seems to be a gradual thing - one side or part of the tree per season. This one seemed to be healthy with green leaves all summer. Is this tree dead? How else can I tell?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Jed1124]

Many oaks hold there leaves well into winter.

 

[Perk]

Yeah, I know that the pin oaks and the water oaks that I was familiar with down at the coast do, but this is the only red oak around here that is doing this..

 

[redoakneck]

All of them around here are still holding dead leaves!!!! I'm near Cincinnati and we have had wind and cold. I suspect it is normal. Usually a sick tree will lose leaves prematurely.

 

[Perk]

Thanks for the reassurance. This tree shades the house and I really don't want to lose it. I'll be patient, wait until spring and happily rake the leaves then.

 

[ATH]

Are they still relatively flat or really curled up? The flatter the more likely to be OK. Also, they turn a different brown when they die...darker and by now are probably very crumbly while healthy leaves still will break up easily, but maybe just a little more flexible. Finally, look for small twigs. Even at the top of a tall tree from the ground you can tell...if there are no small twigs throughout the canopy, that is a bad sign. I wouldn't be too worried...Oak an Beech hold their leaves longer. Some individual trees more than others.

 

[rburg]

Some oak don't shed there old leaves until the new ones push them off.

 

[Ed Roland]

Botanically this phenomena is known as marcescence. Oaks are famous for it. Interwebs search and everystuff. You may find it interesting.

 

[Buckshot00]

Don't know about red oaks but I had a white oak in my yard that didn't shed until April, right before new leaves grew.

 

[2PPacker]

Some oak don't shed there old leaves until the new ones push them off.

This is true, I have about 20 mature oak trees in the 4 acre front yard of my RV site, Gamble, Bur, White and Red none shed leaves until March or early April in the midwest climate.