Very large Red oak losing leaves

[Wood.Neely]

I don't want to lose this tree but its not doing so well. You can see the dead in the upper part of the tree. Its leaning towards the road, but not badly, and the base seems to be pulling a bit. The only wetwood or slime flux I can see from the ground is in one picture also. I treated for ants, although I know that's not my issue. I am planning to dead wood it later this week, but with the leaves now falling consistently, i'm starting to worry i'll lose the entire tree very soon and i may be better off going ahead and taking it completely down.

We did have a major drought in AL last year, but it did leaf out nicely this Spring.

Any ideas what, if anything, i can do to save this tree? Thanks

 

[Jason Douglas]

How bout a site history? Digging, trenching, heavy equipment, etc

Oak decline can many times be traced back to stressful event(s) with pests and pathogens taking advantage of the situation. Drought can be a contributing factor.

Contact a local arborist specializing in PHC and diagnostics rather than tree removal. Oak wilt, SOD, borers, etc may now be in your area but I don't really know.

 

[Wood.Neely]

Jason, thanks for the insight. I had an arborist come out and the conclusion is i have amborsia beetles living in my tree but we also had some stress due to drought and the gas company digging around the tree a few years back. I got a great education from the guy and hope we can save this tree. I'll treat it for the beetles and see how it looks next spring.

 

[Jason Douglas]

Ok, cultural stress management will be very important now. Big mulch bed, supplemental water if necessary, etc

 

[ATH]

I'm sure he explained....but Ambrosia beetles do not attack healthy trees. Unfortunately, they usually show up later in the decline process so it might be asking a lot to get it turned around. Best of luck in doing so. Like Jason said...take care of the roots!

 

[JTM]

I see from your info you are in Alabama. We had a very bad drought last year. A lot of the red oak species have taken a dive because of this stress making them susceptible to disease. I lost 21 Leyland Cypress in my yard and two huge red oaks. If your tree does not drop it’s leaves this spring as a result of budding then the tree is done.

 

[gary courtney]

It is Trumps' fault.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Do you have oak wilt in your area? Red oak are affected the most.

 

[chipper1]

It is Trumps' fault.

No Gary, they are using black locust for the fence .

 

[chipper1]

Do you have oak wilt in your area? Red oak are affected the most.

I lost 2 red oaks in back of my place. I cleaned a spot for my woodshed 3 springs ago, when I removed an elm stump and all I damaged a few of the roots on the red oaks, then we had a very dry summer. I feel quite confident had we not had that dry of a summer they would have been fine. The bummer is I buy the woodshed in relation to those trees and it was very nice having the trees right in front of the shed. I started taking the branches out last week, when the rain clears they will become firewood.
Also every other red oak in my neighborhood started dropping some leaves a couple weeks back .

 

[Deleted member 117362]

I lost 2 red oaks in back of my place. I cleaned a spot for my woodshed 3 springs ago, when I removed an elm stump and all I damaged a few of the roots on the red oaks, then we had a very dry summer. I feel quite confident had we not had that dry of a summer they would have been fine. The bummer is I buy the woodshed in relation to those trees and it was very nice having the trees right in front of the shed. I started taking the branches out last week, when the rain clears they will become firewood.
Also every other red oak in my neighborhood started dropping some leaves a couple weeks back .

Removed 5 Red oaks off my property this summer/fall (oak wilt). Property behind me has over 20 dead standing, bark less, Red Oak trees. Soon I will only have spruce, pine, white oak and maple. But, do have all the firewood I will ever need. Would rather have standing healthy trees. Good friend owns a tree service and would never have to buy firewood.

 

[arbordoctor]

In my area (Cincinnati) early leaf loss is generally stress related. Bacterial leaf scorch is rampant in Lexington, KY, but not common here. With the recent droughts and history of construction, I would consider environmental stress as well as root loss and potential decay issues. Tree appears to have undergone or is undergoing some natural retrenchment. I would be interested in the extent of decay near those dead areas. Ambrosia beetle would be secondary to stress but could hasten decline. Killing the beetles would be first followed by looking at the tree canopy's condition and stability, then probably deadwooding, some retrenchment pruning and balancing to reduce wind loads, soil aeration, tree growth regulators, and anything else which might be indicated.

 

[arbordoctor]

I'm sure he explained....but Ambrosia beetles do not attack healthy trees. Unfortunately, they usually show up later in the decline process so it might be asking a lot to get it turned around. Best of luck in doing so. Like Jason said...take care of the roots!

Generally agreed. I have saved trees with ambrosia beetle but it indicates a serious, likely complex situation.

 

[arbordoctor]

I had a 48 inch dbh Quercus shummardii at my old house. Dropped around Labor Day one year. I aerated the root zone, improved supplemental watering in following years, applied Milorganite annually since the tree had a history of chlorosis, and treated it with tree growth regulators on a 3 year cycle and that tree became the healthiest in the neighborhood. You situation sounds more complex, especially with the ambrosia beetles. I am working with a senescent red oak currently which had ambrosia beetles this year. I make no guarantees!