Is my Oak dying?

[rdemas]

I have a large, beautiful Oak tree (one of many) in my backyard and it has been losing its leaves for the past several weeks in August. I'm posting pics taken today to show the dieback. I've had a few smaller dead branches cut from the tree over the last year and it seems to me that the tree is slowly dying or at least struggling. It's leaves seemed to come a bit late in the spring and now they are falling (though not all down). I was going to call an arborist given the location to the home (5 feet away) but thought I would post on here to be sure there wasn't something obviously I am missing. I know little to nothing about trees so it's possible some Oaks just do this sometimes? However the other similar sized oaks on our property don't look like this. One point - we had an above ground pool near the tree last summer and it sprung a leak and dumped a lot of chlorinated water under the tree (like several hundred gallons), but none of the other vegetation around the tree died so wasn't sure that might have something to do with it.

A number of leaves still on the tree look half brown/half green, which made me think it could be Oak Wilt (but that's just from online reading). A pic of some fallen leaves also attached - most leaves on the ground are all brown, maybe a few green. It also looks to me like the browning is evenly spread through the tree, not top down.

Haven't noticed anything else like worms, and no visible damage.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice.

Reagan

 

[derwoodii]

opcorn:


I'm just watchin n waitin sorry no help but curious as well

 

[Raintree]

Pin Oaks are particularly sensitive to chlorine poisoning. Looking a your pics it appears the left side leader is in a more advanced state of decline. Did the pool water soil contamination happen to be on that side of the tree?

Symptoms of chlorine toxicity - Leaves will show a burned or scorched appearance with brown, dead tissue on the tips and edges (leaf scorch), as well as between the leaf veins. (need better green leaf pics) Affected leaves may also be stunted, turn yellow (chlorotic) and drop off early.

My gut feeling on your tree is after the spring of next year you will be looking at a removal.

 

[Granpajohn]

Photos can be deceptive, but based on the 4th picture, that big oak is quite close to the house. (Maybe you could post a measurement.)
I would plan to remove it this winter. Or maybe you can give it one more growing season to be sure.
Looks like a red oak perhaps.

I base my comments on my own experience with these trees....often attacked by boring beetles. They get to looking like this, and within a few years I'm taking them down dead.

For those from afar, we have had a moist summer here in the DC area. Shouldn't be suffering from dryness.

 

[rdemas]

Thanks for the initial thoughts. The chlorinated water spilled pretty much all around the tree as the pool was 5 feet from the tree and the water dumped right under it. The tree is very close to the house, 5-8 feet. I don't see obvious signs of scorching on the green leaves but the canopy is high so hard to get a close look. Leaves on the ground are all brown basically. In any event sounds like there's not much I can do at this stage other than just wait and see what happens? I will probably give it until the spring and see if it recovers but tend to agree with your assessments that I'll eventually have to remove it. With the winds we have out here in NoVA I don't want to wait until it is completely dead to remove given proximity to the house.

 

[unclecrash]

Thanks for the initial thoughts. The chlorinated water spilled pretty much all around the tree as the pool was 5 feet from the tree and the water dumped right under it. The tree is very close to the house, 5-8 feet. I don't see obvious signs of scorching on the green leaves but the canopy is high so hard to get a close look. Leaves on the ground are all brown basically. In any event sounds like there's not much I can do at this stage other than just wait and see what happens? I will probably give it until the spring and see if it recovers but tend to agree with your assessments that I'll eventually have to remove it. With the winds we have out here in NoVA I don't want to wait until it is completely dead to remove given proximity to the house.

Just curious didy ou cut the limbs from the area or side that is declining?

 

[KodiakKen]

live in northwest ohio and ....

I have had several maples do the same thing.. Look at your local weather history as to rainfall and soil conditions. DON'T CUT DOWN YOUR TREE. this have been a great year at least here for apples,corn, beans. and most crop fields but terror on trees.. I was losing leaves on my tulip poplar in july. wait until mid spring before you consider a loss on an old growth tree. watch the buds. If half the tree buds you lost root system. cut it down. if they all bud. wait another year.

 

[treeseer]

I have had several maples do the same thing.. Look at your local weather history as to rainfall and soil conditions. DON'T CUT DOWN YOUR TREE. this have been a great year at least here for apples,corn, beans. and most crop fields but terror on trees.. I was losing leaves on my tulip poplar in july. wait until mid spring before you consider a loss on an old growth tree. watch the buds. If half the tree buds you lost root system. cut it down. if they all bud. wait another year.

Good advice; give the tree a chance. Worst on side away from house = not a coincidence. Call a local arborist; one near you is called Thrive I believe...

Too many trees in Great Falls removed lately, such as the one that used to be at the main intersection. And they leave the rotting tree to stand alone...???

 

[rarefish383]

Trees die slow, it can take a tree 3 to 5 years to die from water table changes. Even though we have had a good wet growing season this year the damage may have been done in the past several years of drought. I have a Red Oak in my yard that looks almost identical to yours. It's been in decline for 3 years, it's the first to loose it's leave and the last to get them. I have a wooded lot so it's no big deal to me if it goes. One of the problems with trees is that when they slip into decline they put off pheromones, as part of their defence mechanisms, and these can attract other pathogens and pests. I'd call a couple pro's and get their opinion. Check your private messages and I'll give you the number of a fourth generation MD tree company. Pending on their work load, and fuel what it is today, I don't know if they will come over to Great Falls, but before I retired, I did. They are licensed and insured to work in VA, and if google them you will see they are one of the oldest and highly recommended in the area, Joe.

 

[rdemas]

Thanks to all for your thoughts. I had 4 (!) certified arborists come take a look at the tree over the last week and they all said it is a goner, either in a few weeks or a few years. The consensus is bacterial leaf scorch but not all gave a specific diagnosis. They all of course also offer tree cutting services so I recognize they have incentive to tell me my tree should be cut down, but one of them pointed out borers that have found the tree, evidence of which I could see myself. Plus the tree keeps getting worse and half of it is completely dead at this point. It could take a few years to die but if it is eventually a goner I want to remove it now since it hangs over my house (my 3 year old's bedroom, in fact) and a smaller branch already fell off it earlier this summer. Oh well. Disappointed but I don't want to live in fear during every wind storm over the next few years.